French President Emmanuel Macron is alleged to have “secretly” worked to make arrangements beneficial to big tech transport firm Uber, reports have claimed.
During his time as Economic Minister, current French President Emmanuel Macron is said to have “secretly” worked with Silicon Valley giant Uber to get better deals for the company within France, multiple reports from a variety of news outlets have claimed.
The apparent revelation is part of an exposé in Uber’s dealings in Europe and beyond, with execs in the company allegedly being found to have secretly courted important government interests while putting pressure on others, up to and including sitting U.S. President Joe Biden.
According to documents seen by The Guardian, Le Monde, the BBC and the Washington Post, now-President Macron worked closely with senior management in the country to better the company’s standing in France during his tenure as economy minister between 2014 and 2016.
So close was the relationship that Macron even brokered a secret deal with the then-sitting Socialist in government which would see Uber cease some of its operations in the country in exchange for laxer rules for other elements of their business.
Text messages traded between Macron and Uber staff meanwhile, according to The Guardian, seem to show that those at the business saw Macron as a key ally, often turning to the then-French minister for help.
The revelations have resulted in mass outcry from France’s political opposition, with both the left and right in the country now demanding the President explain his actions in relation to the company.
“Emmanuel Macron’s career has a coherence, a red thread: to serve private interests, often foreign, before the interests national,” remarked Rassemblement National party President Jordan Bardella, according to a report by France 24.
While Macron appears to be bearing the brunt of the scandal, he is far from the only politician to become embroiled in the alleged skullduggery operated by Uber.
Ireland’s former Prime Minister Enda Kenny, former UK Chancellor George Osborne and former Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu are all listed as having had face-to-face meetings with company leaders at Davos, with Osborne in particular being reportedly recognised as a “strong advocate”.
Another politician listed as meeting senior management in Switzerland is then-U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, who was reportedly even complained to by senior Uber staff for apparently showing up late to an arranged meeting.
“I’ve had my people let him know that every minute late he is, is one less minute he will have with me,” co-founder Travis Kalanick is said to have written in a text message to an unnamed colleague.
Biden is later said to have amended a speech given at Davos to include reference to a CEO who would provide millions of individuals with the “freedom to work as many hours as they wish, manage their own lives as they wish”, a statement that appears to be in line with Uber’s stated goals as a company.