France’s Macron defends his dealings with Uber : NPR

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We’ve been speaking this 7 days about leaked files that clearly show the lengths to which Uber went to acquire on the taxi sector in nation right after place. In France, the Uber information have provoked new concerns about the role of President Emmanuel Macron. Here is Rebecca Rosman.

REBECCA ROSMAN, BYLINE: Uber’s courting of Macron commenced in 2014, according to text messages and e-mail leaked by a previous Uber govt. The organization was desperately searching for an ally who could help them increase their operations in France. Emmanuel Macron was then operating as the financial state minister below Socialist President Francois Hollande. Amidst the trove of extra than 124,000 documents known as the Uber files, there was evidence of mystery meetings with lobbyists, reassurances of assist and strategies that Macron provided to support Uber broaden the corporation at the expenditure, his critics say, of France’s certified taxi motorists.

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PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON: (Talking French).

ROSMAN: On Tuesday, Macron brushed off the allegations, telling reporters he was, quotation, “proud” of supporting Uber because they established jobs for French staff, including he would “do it yet again tomorrow and the working day immediately after tomorrow.” French authorities immediately backed the president, declaring his steps were being aspect of his usual duties as minister. But opposition politicians on the political still left and far correct are contacting for a parliamentary inquiry into the specifics of Macron’s partnership with Uber.

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FRANCOIS RUFFIN: (Speaking French).

ROSMAN: Talking to France Inter radio on Tuesday, much-left MP Francois Ruffin for an investigation into Macron’s 2017 presidential marketing campaign donors, implying some kind of ongoing quid professional quo. Macron, in the meantime, has praised Uber for supplying jobs to 1000’s of young men and women from the troubled functioning-class suburbs. That explanation isn’t adequate to be sure to France’s accredited taxi motorists, who, not like Uber motorists, have to undertake close to 300 hours of schooling and pay out up to 250,000 euros for an formal taxi license. So significantly, their protests versus what they contact the Uberization (ph) of France have not worked. But opposition forces in parliament say, this time, they are heading to make certain the president listens.

For NPR News, I am Rebecca Rosman.

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