Macron’s ‘threat’ to unvaccinated a calculated gamble

With IHU, a new variant of the novel coronavirus, having appeared in France, French President Emmanuel Macron told the media that he would make life hard for people who had not received vaccinations.

The cumulative number of infections in the country exceeds 10 million, ranking sixth in the world. That means one in seven people in France have been infected with the virus, which is a terrible percentage. Macron plans to introduce a vaccine passport on Jan 15, which will allow only those with a vaccination certificate to enter bars and take trains and flights.

Macron’s words have sparked anger, and he has been criticized for violating personal freedom, with some opponents claiming it showed he was unfit for the presidency. But some deeper analysis shows that his remarks indicate his intention to run for another term.

Macron has not officially announced he will run in the coming election in April yet, but no one believes he will not. On the contrary, as the incumbent president he is considered the candidate the challengers will have to beat.

While his words appear not so friendly to those who have not been vaccinated, the number of people who have not been vaccinated is now as low as 5 million, because the vaccination rate of France is almost 90 percent. Of the 5 million, those opposed to vaccines would never vote for Macron anyway, so he is seeking support from those who insist everybody should be vaccinated.

Many French people are tired of the constantly changing anti-pandemic measures and they approve of a vaccine passport. According to a survey by Le Figaro at the end of 2021, 66 percent of those surveyed supported a vaccine passport, while 64 percent even agreed with a health certificate system in offices.

Even among the supporters of Macron’s opponents, there are 70 percent who support this measure. It is fair to say the majority of the French people support a vaccine passport policy.

In this situation, Macron has more to gain than lose by taking the strong stance he has. By making the remarks, he was telling the public that he is working for their good and presenting the image of a strong leader.

Therefore, Macron’s words were anything but rash. They were intended to rally support for the coming election.