• Emmanuel Macron was criticized for removing his luxury watch during an interview about pension reform
• France is experiencing widespread protests and strikes opposing the raising of the pension age requirement
• Macron's government defends the plan as a way of protecting the country's economy

French President Emmanuel Macron was seen taking off his luxury watch during an interview where he was asked about his government's continued plans for pension reform despite widespread protests that have started turning violent.

The situation comes as the country faces massive protests and widespread strikes as Macron and his colleagues aim to raise the required age for retirement by two years. The president's representatives said that his gesture during the interview was because the clock was "clinking on the table."

Emmanuel Macron Criticized for Gesture During Interview

However, critics have argued that the president removed his watch because it showed that he was out of touch with the public, with many expressing their reactions on social media. While some people estimated the item's price to be roughly $86,000, the Elysee Palace said that this needed to be revised, as per BBC.

Macron while asking for sacrifices from the French people realizes he is wearing a € 80,000 watch and like a magician makes it disappear under the table. Unworthy. pic.twitter.com/zRiQWFAR1M

— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) March 24, 2023

Twitter Error

Look at his deceitful hands. https://t.co/uzewved49Y

— Tired of being politically correct (@USBornNRaised) March 24, 2023

An MP for the opposition left-wing La France Insoumise party, Clemence Guette, was one of those who participated in the protests against Macron's pension reform. In a Twitter post, she said that while the president was claiming that minimum wage earners were the ones who had unprecedented spending power, his taking off his watch was the "final image."

Guette's colleague, Farida Amrani, said that President Macron was of the rich and has never "worn his name so well." Amid the watch's price estimations, online prices showed that it was roughly $1,800 to $3,600.

In a statement, the Elysee Palace noted that Macron has been wearing the watch regularly for over a year and a half. The incident comes as the French president has been facing criticism for a long time for supporting the rich.

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France's Planned Pension Reform

The palace argued that the noise of the watch hitting the table was audible for only a few seconds at the beginning of the footage shared on social media platforms. Furthermore, they argued that the watch manufacturer has partnerships with various institutions, including the country's army and the security group of the presidency, according to the Independent.

Macron's former presidential rival, Jean-Luc Melenchon, has also accused the president of lying about the planned pension reforms, showing contempt for the country's workers and the people's demonstrations. This sentiment was shared by far-right Marine Le Pen, who claims that Macron only wanted to reinforce the feeling of contempt that French voters felt.

Previously, the French president said that he did not enjoy doing the pension reform during his first public statement to the country regarding the proposal. He added that he could sweep the dust under the rug like how many did before him.

Macron continued to say that the current system was no longer balanced and that the number of retirees was expected to be 20 million by the 2030s. He argued that the longer they wait, the worse the situation will become in the future, said CNBC.

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