INTERNATIONAL: French President Emmanuel Macron has said on Tuesday that he wanted to "piss off" the non-vaccinated, in a slangy, cutting remark that prompted howls of condemnation from opposition rivals less than four months before the next presidential election.

France last year put in place a health pass that prevents people without a PCR test or proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, cafes and other venues. The government wants to turn it into a vaccine passport that means only the vaccinated can have a health pass.

The president was quotes as saying; "The unvaccinated, I really want to piss them off. And so, we're going to continue doing so, until the end. That's the strategy.”

He has added; "I won't send the unvaccinated to prison, I won't vaccinate by force. So, we need to tell them, from January 15, you won't be able to go to the restaurant anymore, you won't be able to down one, won't be able to have a coffee, go to the theatre, the cinema..."

Macron has been criticised in the past for off-the-cuff remarks which many French people have said came across as arrogant, cutting or scornful. He has later expressed contrition on several occasions.

Right-wing presidential candidate, Valerie Pecresse says that she was outraged by the president’s comments. She was outraged by his comments but that’s not all he said, he also meant that the unvaccinated are not citizens. And it's not up to the president to pick and choose who among the French are good or bad. They have to be accepted as they are, and they should be governed and united without being insulted. As leader, there’s a need and courage to tell the truth, but insults are never the right solution. And we must end this presidential mandate of disdain.

Infectious diseases expert Eric Caumes has announced on Wednesday that a part of him understood Macron's frustration with the unvaccinated but that he remained "a bit surprised."

He has explained that as doctors, they also expressed a certain exasperation with regard to the unvaccinated, and went beyond what was in our head.