A photograph of French President Emmanuel Macron receiving an impassioned kiss from his minister for sport has caused a stir online.
Macron, 46, was captured sharing a close, clenching embrace with Amélie Oudéa-Castéra during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
THE FRENCH KISS
Oudéa-Castéra, also 46, holds onto the back of Macron’s head as she kisses him on the cheek as the two hold each other.
REACTIONS
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal can be seen awkwardly looking the other way as the two exchange their close kiss.
Madame Figaro, the French magazine, called it a ‘curious kiss’, pointing out the minister ‘clearly knows how to get people talking about her’.
The outlet wrote: ‘After the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the pressure was off, giving way to euphoria.
‘In an explosion of joy, sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera and President Emmanuel Macron kissed. The kiss caused quite a stir.’
Online commentators meanwhile were quick to point out the close embrace between the two.
One person wrote: ‘What’s this kiss between Oudéa and Macron??!’ while another commentator added: ‘Brigitte [Macron’s wife] won’t like it’.
Another added: ‘Damn son! That’s a curious embrace!’, while another added: ‘Ooh la la.’
One user was more critical, adding: ‘I find this photo indecent, it’s not worthy of a president and a minister.’
The embrace didn’t have everyone convinced however, with one user writing: ‘I don’t see the harm in it.
