Footage of Emmanuel Macron downing a bottle of beer in 17 seconds in a rugby club dressing room has prompted a political row about binge drinking and accusations of toxic masculinity, reports The Guardian.
The video shows the French president being handed a bottle of Corona in the Toulouse changing room after they beat La Rochelle at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday.
Urged to down the beer in one, Macron drains the bottle to cheers from coaching staff and players, then proudly slams the empty bottle down on the counter.
“Toxic masculinity in political leadership in one image,” tweeted Sandrine Rousseau, an MP for the Green party.
“A president who is sharing in the joy of 23 players and taking part in their traditions. That’s all,” replied Jean-René Cazeneuve, an MP from Macron’s centrist party.
The choice of Corona beer – favourite drink of the late rightwing president Jacques Chirac – led to comments about whether Macron was using it to make overtures to the right, or whether, after accusations that he is out of touch, he was trying to show he was a man of the people.