Macron protege denies biting Paris taxi driver
A FRENCH MP seen as a rising star in Emmanuel Macron’s party was yesterday forced to deny that she bit a taxi driver who refused to take a credit card payment.
Laetitia Avia, 31, elected to parliament for Mr Macron’s La République en Marche (REM) party last month, said “ill-wishers” had been spreading xenophobic comments about the incident.
Ms Avia, who is of Togolese origin, is a lawyer who got a special mention from prime minister Edouard Philippe during his inaugural speech to parliament on Tuesday as a model of French meritocracy.
Le Canard Enchaîné magazine quoted police as saying she bit the driver because she did not like his behaviour. After officers were called, it took 45 minutes before Ms Avia agreed to pay her fare.
She told the magazine she did not bite the driver but grabbed him by the shoulder after he had tried to pull away without her consent in the eastern Paris suburb of Saint Mandé.
“I do not wish for any woman to live through such a moment,” she said.
She has filed a complaint alleging attempted theft and kidnapping.
The row erupted as France’s far-left leader Jean-luc Mélenchon accused Mr Macron of being “intoxicated” by power.
He is calling for a nationwide day of protest next week against government plans for spending cuts and pro-business tax reforms.
Mr Macron has also promised to pass a labour law to make it easier to hire and fire by decree this autumn.
“We are going down a road where he is becoming intoxicated by his omnipotence,” said Mr Mélenchon, 65. “He thinks he can fix all the problems by force. He is wrong.”
Mr Mélenchon will be buoyed by a poll showing only a quarter of respondents were convinced by the speeches of Mr Macron and his prime minister.
France’s powerful trade unions have so far remained conciliatory over his labour reform agenda, bar the hardline CGT, which is calling for a day of action in September.