Macron Acknowledges ’White Privilege’ in French Society, Sparking Debate

Emmanuel Macron addressed several issues related to his term of office during this interview, especially the various crises, such as that of the Yellow Vests. The coronavirus pandemic, for which France has paid a heavy price, has not escaped the questions asked of the French president. The legendary issue of "white privilege" was no exception.

At first, the French head of state stressed that "French society has become victimized and emotional". For him, most Western societies are aware of this but prefer for certain reasons to turn a blind eye. Still according to Emmanuel Macron, "when you speak Arabic at home, when your family comes from the banks of the Congo River, when you have a history that is not tied between the Indre and Brittany, you have a singularity that matters and it must be recognized".

In his interview, he calls on the French not to be afraid of their hospitality capacity. "It is an immense wealth, but we have too often wanted to conceal it from our fellow citizens". It is then that the journalist asks him the question of whether being a white man under 50 is a privilege. "It is a fact. In our society, being a white man creates more objective conditions for accessing the position that is mine, for finding housing, for finding a job, than being an Asian, black or Maghrebian man, or an Asian, black or Maghrebian woman," explains Emmanuel Macron.