PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 7: Leader of ‘En Marche!’ Emmanuel Macron greets his supporters with his wife Brigitte (C-R) after winning the French presidential election, at the Louvre on May 7, 2017 in Paris, France. Pro-European centrist Macron is France’s next president after narrowly defeating his far-right rival Marine Le Pen, according to estimates. (Photo via David Ramos/Getty Images)
The French media landscape has been full of hypotheses and observations after an intimate moment between President Emmanuel Macron and French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra at the opening rite of the Olympic Games.
The photograph in question shows a passionate hug, cheek to cheek. Oudéa-Castéra, affectionately known as AOC, put her arm around the president’s neck and kissed him under the ear. In the background, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal can be seen in the distance.
The French magazine Midi Libre was one of the first to comment on the image. “After the opening rite of the Olympic Games, the tension disappeared and gave way to euphoria. In an explosion of joy, Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera and President Emmanuel Macron kissed. The kiss caused a lot of noise.
Another major French media outlet, Madame Figaro, called the photograph “bizarre” and noted that Oudéa-Castéra “certainly knows how to get people talking. “
This unforeseen demonstration sparked a wave of comments on social media, with users expressing a variety of reactions, from comparing the scene to a fake “AI” to suggesting that Macron’s wife, Brigitte Macron, might have a strong reaction.
Macron, 46, and Brigitte, 71, have been married since 2007, while Oudéa-Castéra and her husband, Frédéric Oudéa, director general of finance, married a year earlier, in 2006. The intimate moment between the president and the Minister of Sports has fueled hypotheses and debate among the French public and caused many other people to reflect on the nature of their quotes and the possible implications for the country’s political landscape.
While the media frenzy continues, the French government and stakeholders have yet to provide official statements or main points related to this unforeseen display of affection.
Last month, Brigitte’s lawyers appeared in court in a defamation case against two YouTubers who accused her of being transgender.
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