Comment PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron defended his interactions with Uber during his tenure as economy minister, seeking to counter mounting criticism that has led to calls for an investigation and took center stage in a parliamentary debate on Tuesday. “I am very proud of what I have done,” Macron told reporters, speaking during a visit to the southeastern French region of Isère. Macron, who appeared visibly emotional, ignored several attempts by aides to move as he defended himself against accusations that he unduly supported the controversial company against the wishes of the left-wing government he was serving at the time. “I saw foreign businessmen – horror!”, he said sarcastically. “If they created jobs in France, then I’m very proud of that. And you know what? I would do it again tomorrow and the day after.” Macron’s comments came amid public outrage over a series of documents detailing close ties between him and Uber during his tenure as finance minister, which some opposition members have described as a looming “state scandal” and potential evidence for “collusion of interest”. “ The accusations on Tuesday partially dominated the first parliamentary question session since last month’s election. Macron lost his absolute majority, leaving him exposed to far more scrutiny than in his first term and under political pressure from his emboldened far-left and far-right opponents. “In essence, your work is [to create] The Uber society of a disenfranchised worker. It’s a collective social suicide,” said Danielle Simonnet, a left-wing member of parliament, addressing the government in the National Assembly on Tuesday. As Uber entered France, Emmanuel Macron was a ‘true ally’ The opposition’s criticism is based on internal messages from Uber executives from 2013 to 2017, revealed by Le Monde, the Washington Post and other media outlets on Sunday, which suggest Macron’s support for the company went far beyond that. which was publicly known — and at times conflicted with the policies of the left-wing government he was serving at the time. The documents are part of the Uber files, a trove of more than 124,000 internal records obtained by the Guardian and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a DC-based nonprofit newsroom, and dozens of other news organizations worldwide. On Monday, former Uber lobbyist Mark MacGann publicly identified himself as the source of the files. The Post and other project partners had previously agreed to keep his identity confidential. According to the filings, Uber executives and lobbyists believed Macron was willing to support them by pushing regulators to be “less conservative” in interpreting rules limiting the company’s operations and trying to loosen rules that prevented expansion of the company in France. At times, even Uber has been surprised by the extent of its support, internal communications show. Macron’s allies appeared ready this week to defend his interactions with the company. Budget Minister Gabriel Attal described the outrage as excessive on Tuesday. “As usual, we make a ton of lather with a gram of soap,” he told BFM TV. “I don’t even see an issue.” But the records could raise uncomfortable questions for Macron and his supporters. Uber sought “strategic investors” in foreign media to curry favor with the government Although the documents end in 2017, the year Macron was elected president, they are directly related to how he has tried to implement his agenda since then. Macron, who was re-elected in April, has sought to free up the French economy – and, his critics say, that has meant clashing with anyone who raises concerns about the social impact of his moves. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon regularly complains about the “over-denial” of French society, an umbrella term used to describe transport and home delivery services, and criticized Macron’s support for a sector he sees as undermining . workers’ rights. Mélenchon is now the public face of the largest opposition bloc in the lower house of Parliament, where the potential investigation is expected to take place. Members and allies of Mélenchon’s France Unbowed party have been among the most vocal critics this week. Mathilde Panot, the leader of the alliance in parliament, suggested that Macron had helped Uber “plunder the country” and criticized the president for acting as a “lobbyist for an American multinational that aims to permanently deregulate labor law”.
Read the investigation: The Uber files
The Uber Files is an international investigation into the company’s aggressive entry into cities around the world — while often questioning the reach of existing laws and regulations. Documents illuminate how Uber used stealth technology to thwart regulators and law enforcement, and how the company courted prominent political leaders, Russian oligarchs and media conglomerates as it sought a foothold outside the United States. The project is based on more than 124,000 emails, text messages, memos and other files provided to the Guardian by a former top Uber lobbyist, Mark MacGann. It shared the material with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which helped lead the project, and dozens of other news organizations, including the Washington Post. Read more from the survey: Key facts from the Uber archives Uber used violent attacks against its drivers to pressure politicians Former top executive Mark MacGann emerges as source of Uber Files ‘Hit the kill switch’: Regulators entered Uber offices only to see computers go dark before their eyes Uber promised South Africans better lives, but knew drivers were risking debt and risk As Uber entered France, Emmanuel Macron was a ‘true ally’
