Emmanuel Macron 'enters his sass era' after pension reform interview goes TikTok viral

A snippet from Emmanuel Macron's defensive pension reform interview has gone viral online, with people turning to TikTok with their own spin.

Last month, the French president claimed that raising the pension age from 62 to 64 was essential and urgent.

"This reform isn't a luxury, it's not a pleasure, it's a necessity," he said amid protests across Paris.

"Do you think I enjoy passing this reform? No," he said. "Don't you think I could have done as many before me and swept it under the rug? Yes, maybe."

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The French audio has since spread across TikTok with many users saying the president is in his "sass era." The "oui, peut-être" hashtag has garnered almost 10 million views.

Many have compared his response to "Mean Girls: France Edition," with one reiterating that it epitomises "Regina George vibes."

One English viewer wrote: "I've seen so many videos with this audio that I now fully understand what he's saying."

There have been more videos joking that the viral audio has helped with French homework.

It comes after Macron was blasted for removing his watch mid-way through the March interview.

However, a representative from Élysée Palace claimed it was because it was "clunking on the table."

In a widely reported statement, the Élysée said: "The president didn’t remove his watch in order to hide it but because it was banging heavily against the table. The noise is clearly audible only a few seconds before the beginning of the video shared on social media."

Before the French president removed his €3,300 (£2,900) watch, a clunk was heard as he rested his arm on the table. He then placed his arms under the table away from camera view, and when they reappeared the watch was missing.

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