Critics mock Emmanuel Macron as unpresidential for posing with risqué dance troupe at Elysée palace

Emmanuel Macron and his wife Christine pose with LGBT dancers during an electronic music party, provoking outrage among France's Rightwingers - Pierre Olivier Costa/via Instagram
Emmanuel Macron and his wife Christine pose with LGBT dancers during an electronic music party, provoking outrage among France's Rightwingers - Pierre Olivier Costa/via Instagram

French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to host an electro dance night at the Elysée and to pose with his wife Brigitte alongside an LGBT dance troupe has enraged opposition figures who accuse him of degrading the presidential status.

“Son of immigrants, black, and queer," was the slogan on the T-shirt of one of the DJs at the party which particularly infuriated mainstream Right-wing politicians as well as the far-Right Leader Marine Le Pen, whose party is fiercely anti-immigrant.

“Help!” wrote Ms Le Pen in a tweet alongside a video of the the dance troupe writhing on the steps of the courtyard of the Elysée palace, which is usually reserved for greeting visiting foreign heads of state.

“To all those who see in Macron a new (Charles) de Gaulle,” wrote Julien Aubert, a member of parliament from the mainstream right-wing Republicans party, in a mocking tweet which included the photo of the presidential couple with the dancers inside the Elysée.

The photo was taken by Brigitte Macron’s chief of staff and released onto social media, where it quickly went viral.

Another Republicans MP, Valérie Boyer, also posted the photo with the message “Call me Mr President,” a clear dig at Mr Macron for allegedly applying double standards.

The president last week insisted on his presidential status being respected when he very publicly gave a dressing down to a teenager who cheekily called him “Manu”.

A clip of the incident, in which Mr Macron called the boy an “idiot” and said he should call him  “Monsieur” or “Monsieur le Président”, went viral online after the French leader posted it on his Twitter account.

Profile | Emmanuel Macron
Profile | Emmanuel Macron

Ms Boyer’s tweet clearly suggested that Mr Macron had now demeaned the presidential status by posing with the dancers, one of whom puts an arm around the first lady for the photograph.

The dance night, featuring stars of the French electro scene including Kavinsky,  Busy P, and Kiddy Smile, was held on Thursday as part of the annual Fete de la Musique, which sees bands playing in the streets and bars across France.

About 1,500 free tickets were handed out on the Elysée website. Mr Macron made a late appearance with his wife and even did a few dance steps himself.

DJ Chloe plays music during the 'Fete de la Musique', the music day celebration in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace, in Paris - Credit: Reuters
DJ Chloe performs during the music day celebration in the courtyard of the Elysée Palace Credit: Reuters

The “Son of immigrants, black, and queer” T-shirt was worn by Kiddy Smile, who earlier said it was to show his opposition to the asylum and migration bill being pushed through by Mr Macron’s government.