Brigette macron hits Emmanuel

[Stressedout150]

has anyone seen this on the news?! What do we all think, it’s all a bit bizarre

Unfortunately, I have way too much experience here. It's because she was going for him/his face with the intensity of rage, rather than the semi-controlled action of taking a swing in a restricted space. There's a difference in intent, the latter is to hit and hurt, the former is to destroy. And, bearing in mind her age, there's also the consideration that punching becomes too painful once osteoporosis and arthritis sets in.

My mother largely stopped punching and slapping once it hurt her hands too much to continue. Stamping was a thing until her feet hurt too much (and I got a pair of secondhand DMs I wore instead of slippers or bare feet). That left going for my face and various items to be used as weapons, directed at the most sensitive part of the body, being the face - last being a garden rake when I was 39. Lucky there wasn't a hot iron in the vicinity, really - she'd always said since I was 9 that one day she was going to get rid of my stupid face forever.

It's only a hair's breadth away from the overkill that leaves somebody unrecognisable, the delineation being they aren't physically strong enough to do it. But they would if they could - that much you know.

What's she actually doing when she's hitting him? Which is definitely what she's doing as you can see his reaction. But her hands look odd? Is she trying to hit his chin? I can't make it out.

She's definitely not a normal person and anyone who grooms a child has clearly got something wrong with them. So it's not a stretch to believe she might also be violent.

Not to mention the fact that the French almost certainly wouldn't give a damn if their leader were gay. They're more sophisticated than the British about such things.

I don't think she was his teacher, but she was a teacher at his school. I believe her daughter was in his class?

Totally inappropriate and creepy whatever way you slice it.

Yes that was shocking.

Exactly. It’s nonsense.

He was vulnerable then, and in that clip he still looks it.

Surely it would have been considered she had authority over him?

Considered by who though, @HelpMeGetThrough?

To my mind she should never have been allowed to teach again, but she was, and remembering the tolerance churches have shown over the abuse of minors I have to wonder whether the fact it was a religious school had any bearing

That leaves state prosecutors, who may or may not have been swayed by the couple's claims that their sexual relationship didn't start until later, and the parents who apparently moved Macron to another school and found this made no difference

She’s shoving his face away. He looks surprised and then embarrassed to see the door is open. The body language of the female with the dark hair (air crew?) is also telling I think. She sees it happen and then quickly looks away, tucking her hair behind her ear awkwardly and looking to the other staff member.

To be fair, he actually says they were having an argument and it was a "bit stupid". Bêtise means joke but also stupidity.

OK, a two-handed push to the face is a weird action. We'd think less harshly of a push to the shoulder or even a slap on the arm. It wasn't that hard - she moved his face and he turned his head. He wasn't at all off balance or anything. Pushing the face is a lot more intimate than pushing the shoulder - I think that's why it's more shocking, but they are a long-married couple who must have pushed all parts of each other's bodies many times before.

The only thing I'm sure about is that they were arguing. Much of the controversy is down to the translation, I think! And, obviously, that you need to make sure no cameras can record your row ...

I grew up with a French mother who slapped me all the time (in the 1970s). I think Brigitte is of that generation. Also isn't she a great deal older than him (like close to 80?) and was formerly a teacher (It's a power play profession).

Who knows what their private life consists of. When he gets home he may have detention and might have to do 100 lines. Wasn't he just 15, when he met her?

She's probably quite Dom. I noticed she has a preference for wearing boots a lot. Despite him being the President of France, he's probably quite soumise at home.

😂😂

Doesn’t really look like a slap tbh. But more of a… shove?? Doesn’t look good (or particularly kind) to me.

she looks like she pushes him by the nose

🤣TBF I don't think the British would mind if the leader was gay and out. It's the pretendy straight ones we might object to. Although I suppose if the beard doesn't mind then why should we.

There was also the bag of "coke" on the table that Macron hid at that meeting with Keir Starmer. Maybe she was trying to clean his nose in a rush?

Much ado about nothing.

@Neemie it actually looks like a row they were having, and they didn’t realise the door had opened and the cameras were filming. She whacks him in the face, he recoils, then notices the door is open. He does a nervous wave, then disappears again, then comes back, and then they both descend the stairs looking very awkward.

I don’t mean to be vulgar but how does she keep up with a French man in his late 40’s.
No excuse for violence but if there is frustration in their marriage then I can imagine.

groomer turns physically abusive, a tale as old as time. She’s an absolute creep and there is no way that was a joke.

Oh, I'm not normalising feminine violence just because I'm French, before you all burn me like Joan of Arc...

I'm just saying that this gesture will be interpreted around the world differently.

Exactly. People would be going wild. The comments making fun of this or downplaying this are disgusting.

You know that was the excuse Saatchi made for abusing Nigella Lawson in public?

Not amusing or convincing then and not now.

The MN responses wouldn't be a dismissive as they are at the moment, the later photo of them walking together shows his hand clenched tight, his face looks furious.

I agree. It's absolutely shocking. The aggression was quite clear.

Is that because it's a woman pushing a man in the face?