Macron gets filmed being slapped

(MENAFN) In a scene that quickly went viral, French President Emmanuel Macron was filmed being slapped by someone in a red jacket as he exited his plane in Hanoi. Moments later, he was seen descending the steps, smiling and holding hands with his wife, Brigitte – also in red. The clip ignited online speculation, jokes, and a flurry of memes, many interpreting the incident as a domestic spat caught on camera.

While the internet had its fun, the incident raises deeper issues. Poet Andrei Voznesensky once wrote about a woman violently reacting in a restaurant — throwing salad, hitting men, kissing mirrors — to make the point that such an outburst can be an expression of long-endured suffering. Russia, the article argues, has already explored such themes through its literature, whereas the French are only now publicly confronting the question of whether a wife can justifiably strike her husband — even if he’s the President.

The laughter surrounding Macron’s slap obscures a real, often ignored topic: domestic violence against men. While women are statistically more often victims, male victims do exist — and are often silenced by shame, societal expectations, and a lack of institutional support. Studies show that over 40% of men in the U.S. and even more in parts of India have reported experiencing abuse from intimate partners, though many cases go unreported.

This public incident, then, is more than just a slap. It’s a glimpse into the personal vulnerabilities of a global leader. Macron, often portrayed as the polished face of NATO or French rearmament, is revealed to be part of an imperfect, possibly strained domestic life — just like many ordinary people.

There’s also something oddly comforting in that image: a powerful man showing he has a home life at all, even if it’s not ideal. It humanizes him, reminding the public that their leaders are not immune to everyday struggles.

For Russians, this sense of dysfunction in leadership hits differently. Memories of Boris Yeltsin’s chaotic presidency in the 1990s — marked by personal instability that spilled into national governance — serve as a warning. A messy home life can sometimes bleed into political life, with serious consequences.

Ultimately, the article urges empathy for Macron. It suggests that behind the slap, there may be deeper truths about power, vulnerability, and the human condition — and those watching should resist the urge to mock and instead consider what it reveals.

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