Macron under fire for calling French 'resistant to change'

French President Emmanuel Macron came under attack from the opposition yesterday after describing his countrymen as "Gauls who are resistant to change" during a trip to Denmark.

The comments came during an exchange with French expatriates in the Scandinavian country, which Macron has long admired because of its economic model that mixes a strong social security system with rules allowing companies to easily fire workers.

"Let's not be naive, what is possible is linked to a culture, to a people who are the product of their history," Macron said on Wednesday afternoon.

"These Lutheran (Protestant) people, who have experienced transformations in recent years, are not like the Gauls who are resistant to change," he said, using a term for the ancient tribes that roamed France more than 2000 years ago.

The remark echoed previous comments by Macron saying the French "hate reforms" and that the country is "unreformable".

He prefers instead to talk about a "transformation" under his leadership.

The 40-year-old former investment banker is trying to push through his own version of Denmark's "flexi-curity" model of flexibility and security by loosening French labour law and reforming the social security system.

But the opposition back home seized on the remarks.

"As usual, he scorns the French while overseas. The Gauls will take great pleasure in responding to his arrogance and contempt," said far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Leftwing MP Alexis Corbiere from the France Unbowed party denounced Macron for his "staggeringly stupid remarks".

But the president was quick to respond while in Finland where he is on the second leg of his Scandinavian trip. He described his remarks as "a light-hearted moment".