French President Emmanuel Macron stuck to his guns after his rivals slammed his description of the French as "Gauls who resist change." Expressing "humor about oneself" is a typically French characteristic, he quipped.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/L. Marin
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Opposition politicians in France took aim at President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday for describing his countrymen as "Gauls who resist change."
The French president made the controversial quip during a diplomatic visit to Denmark on Wednesday. Commenting on the Danish system, which combines social protection and economic flexibility, he said that this structure was partially rooted in the Danes' history as a "Lutheran people who have lived through the transformation of the last decades."
He then compared Danish and French mentality, referring to his compatriots as "Gauls who resist change." The ancient Gaulish tribes are believed to be ancestors of the modern-day French.
'Absurd caricature of the French'
The remark, made before an international audience, sparked angry reactions from opposition politicians in France.
Macron was "feeding this sort of absurd caricature of the French," Laurent Wauquiez from the centrist Republicans told broadcaster Europe1. Separately, populist leader Marine Le Pen tweeted that Macron was scorning the French from abroad "as usual."
"The Gauls will take great pleasure in responding to his arrogance and contempt," she wrote.
Leftist lawmaker Alexis Corbiere described Macron's comments as "staggeringly stupid."
Twitter outrage 'not very French'
Responding to the controversy from Helsinki on Thursday, Macron said that his Copenhagen statement was "a lighthearted moment."
He also urged the public to "take a step back" from social media, adding that "the love of... irony, humor about oneself and no doubt complexity" were typically French characteristics.
"So the out-of-context row in 140 characters where as soon as you say anything about yourself, there's a row: I can tell you that that's not very French," he added.
Since taking office in May last year, the 40-year-old leader has attempted to push through a series of reforms of France's economy and labor market, with many of his ideas sparking strikes and protests. On Thursday, however, Macron signaled his belief that the French were able to accept modernization.
"If I thought we were nothing but reactionaries, I wouldn't be here before you," he told reporters in Helsinki.
New adventure for Asterix and Obelix
The indomitable Gauls Asterix und Obelix are off again on a new adventure. The new volume takes the friends into the lion's den - to ancient Italy, where their arch enemy Julius Caesar rules in Rome.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. De Poulpiquet
Off for Italy
Italy? Only Romans, right? But that's not quite true, as ancient Italy is also populated by a tribe called the Italics who are doing their level best to maintain their independence in the face of Caesar's efforts to unify the country. Reason enough for Gallic heroes Asterix and Obelix to embark on a whirlwind tour...
Image: picture-alliance /dpa/Egmont Ehapa
The father of Asterix and Obelix
The inhabitants of a tiny village somewhere on the coast of Brittany are basically all crazy. They love to beat each other up with stinky fish, devour entire boars and gag their bards. And they all hate the Roman occupiers. A magic potion gives them supernatural powers. The most famous Gauls are Asterix and Obelix, who were created by graphic artist Albert Uderzo.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. De Poulpiquet
Dream team
For almost six decades, Asterix and Obelix have embarked on numerous adventures in far-away countries with their little dog Dogmatix, including the Americas and the Middle East. Their baggage mainly consists of a lot of courage and a small bottle of magic potion. Obelix can do without it, as he once fell into the liquid as a child. The first Asterix edition was published in French in 1961.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/United Archives
Resisting the Romans with supernatural powers
When wild Gauls encounter the Romans, you'd better get out of the way. Of course, Obelix would love nothing more than to battle an entire garrison all by himself. While the adventures of the death-defying and oppressed Gauls are highly popular in European countries, they never really became as successful in the US.
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Changing of the guard
Originally, Uderzo's long-term partner, René Goscinny, was the author of the witty texts. Following his death in 1977, Uderzo wrote them himself and founded his own publishing house. The first Asterix volume written by Uderzo, "Asterix and the Great Divide," was published in 1980. He continued writing the stories until, finally, a new team took over who also authored the two latest volumes.
Image: Reuters
A successful new team
Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad succeeded in reviving the tales of the Gauls, which had become a bit worn. While retaining Uderzo's drawings and keeping up Goscinny's sense of humor, they have added some contemporary stylistic aspects. Here, Uderzo, Goscinny's daughter Anne, Ferri and Conrad (from left to right) present the volume "Asterix and the Missing Scroll" in 2015.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/V. Isore
A short-lived character
Uderzo and Goscinny also created other characters, including Ompa-pa the Redskin - which would be considered inappropriate today. The story about the warrior with the big heart was not successful and, since they were becoming increasingly busy with the Asterix stories, the duo gave up Ompa-pa after five volumes. However, he made a cameo appearance in "The Twelve Tasks of Asterix."
Image: 2017 Les ÉDITIONS ALBERT RENÉ / GOSCINNY-UDERZO
Illustrated condolences
After staff members of the French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo" - among them four illustrators - were brutally assassinated by Islamist terrorists in January 2015, Uderzo paid homage to his dead colleagues with this drawing. The gesture was particularly moving since these figures usually bring laughter instead of tears.
