ARROGANT Emmanuel Macron has refused to apologise for his disastrous Covid strategy – as deaths and infections run rampant through France.
The French president insisted he has “no remorse, no acknowledgement of failure” despite intense criticism of his leadership in the crisis.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates…
Yesterday Macron admitted the France’s feeble vaccine rollout was not “strong and fast” enough as EU chiefs backed down on an export ban.
But he refused to accept any fault in his lockdown policy even as virus rates explode and France’s economy collapses.
It is one of a number of major European nations now being hit by a devastating third wave as vaccinations stall.
Speaking from the Elysée Palace after a video-link European Council summit last night, Mr Macron said he had no regrets about failing to shut the country down at the start of the year.
He said: “I can tell you, we were right not to re-confine France at the end of January because there was not the explosion which was foreseen by all the models.”
In fact coronavirus rates have spiked alarmingly – there are currently some 30,000 new cases a day, and 4,000 people are in intensive care.
A limited lockdown was imposed in 19 departments last week, including the greater Paris region where some patients have been airlifted out of the capital because of a lack of beds.
‘NO REMORSE’
Trying to justify his policies, Mr Macron said: “We considered that with the curfew measures taken, the braking measures, we could cope without there being an outbreak and that is what happened.”
He said he had “taken into account several factors” for not locking down, including “mental health, the tension and the difficulties for our young people and our educational priority”.
Mr Macron said “pragmatism” continues to guide his strategy, and there was a “reasonable prospect of hope” thanks to vaccinations which offer “a safer course than a few months ago”.
The president, 43, has been blamed for a lack of public faith the AstraZeneca jab, which he falsely called “quasi-ineffective”.
He has performed a series of U-turns, first saying the jab was not suitable for those over 65, then banning it over unfounded blood clot fears, then saying it should not be given to those under 55.
Many suggested that the notoriously anti-Brexit politician was bashing the successful Oxford-AstraZeneca jab because it was created in the UK.
Despite such criticism, Mr Macron said: “I can tell you that I have no mea culpa to offer, no remorse, no acknowledgement of failure.”
Earlier this week, Mr Macron said he had switched to a strategy of mass vaccination after months of a painfully slow rollout.
So far only 6.6million people in France have had at least one dose, compared to 29million in the UK.
Yesterday the French president acknowledged that European leaders did not go “fast enough or strong enough” in the painfully slow Covid jab drive.
“We didn’t shoot for the stars. That should be a lesson for all of us,” he told Greek television channel ERT.
“We were wrong to lack ambition, to lack the madness, to say: It’s possible, let’s do it.”
Germany’s Angela Merkel also admitted she made a “mistake” as she reversed a planned strict Easter shutdown.
BLOC HEAD
Brussels chiefs threatened a new trade war with the UK this week after claiming they have not had a “fair share” of vaccine supplies.
Last night desperate Ursula von der Leyen warned she could STILL block deliveries to Britain – even after EU leaders snubbed her barmy blockade.
The under-fire EU Commission chief threatened to halt exports until the drug firm “catches up” on shipments to the Continent.
She said: “Companies have to honour their contract to the European Union before they export to other regions in the world.
“And this is of course the case with AstraZeneca”
She added: “We could have been much faster if all pharmaceutical companies had fulfilled their contracts.”
But she was forced to drop plans for an immediate blockade after a pushback from countries that are keen to keep supply chains open.
Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, and Spain are all against the export ban.
Germany has also watered down its support over fears of sparking a vaccine war with Britain.
EU diplomats are now in talks with the UK on how to manage supplies – as Britain also faces a shortfall on expected deliveries next month.
Meanwhile figures showed EU nations still have 5.5million unused AstraZeneca doses after the bungled rollout and temporary suspension.
Germany has received 3.4million doses but administered only 1.9million, while France has taken delivery of 2.8million but given only 1.5million.
As the trade row escalated this week, government sources hinted the UK would have “no choice” but to block exports of vaccine ingredients to factories Europe.
Boris Johnson issued a stark warning to Brussels of considerable “long-term damage” to its reputation and investment hopes if it threw up barriers.
The PM hit out: “Vaccines are the product of international co-operation.
“I don’t think blockades of either vaccines or of ingredients for vaccines are sensible, and I think that the long-term damage done by blockades can be very considerable.”
Brussels and London sought to cool tensions last night, declaring in a joint statement that they want to “expand vaccine supply for all our citizens”.
Angela Merkel said she wanted a “win-win” situation with Britain, adding she wanted to act “sensibly politically.”
Dutch PM Mark Rutte said: “We are friends, us and the UK, and we need each other.”
Most read in News
And he warned production Pfizer’s factory in Belgium would be badly hit by tit-for-tat conflict with Britain.
He expressed hopes the UK and Brussels can do a deal at the weekend “in the spirit of win win”, adding: “A landing spot is possible here.”
Earlier old EU boss Jean-Claude Juncker hit out: “Nobody understands why we’re witnessing such a stupid vaccine war.”
