Emmanuel Macron faces criticism from French opposition over 'secret deal' with Uber

The reports of an alleged secret deal between online transport company Uber and French President Emmanuel Macron have sparked a huge response from the opposition parties in France. According to an investigation by leading media outlets based on leaked files, Macron had a “secret deal” with the company during his tenure as economic minister between 2014 and 2016. A report in French daily Le Monde claimed that it was Macron’s ministry that paved the path for Uber to establish its dominance in France with the help of "ready-made" amendments. In the aftermath of the report, a number of opposition deputies have criticised Macron and asked for thorough investigation.

Parliamentary leader of the France Unbowed party - Mathilde Panot – took to Twitter to express her views as she called it the "pillage of the country". She went on to call Macron a "lobbyist" for a "US multinational aiming to permanently deregulate labour law" in her post on the site.

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Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel also described the report as "damning revelations about the active role played by Emmanuel Macron, then minister, to facilitate the development of Uber in France. "Against all our rules, all our social rights and against workers' rights," he tweeted.

The President’s office downplayed the allegations saying Macron has "naturally" been in contact with "many companies involved in the profound change in services that has occurred over the years mentioned, which should be facilitated by unravelling certain administrative or regulatory locks".

Uber France also told AFP that the two parties were in contact during that time period, but it was all part of a “normal course of his ministerial duties”.

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(With inputs from agencies)