Emmanuel Macron criticised for giving Légion d’honneur to Jeff Bezos | France | The Guardian
▻https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/23/emmanuel-macron-criticised-for-ceremony-giving-jeff-bezos-legion-dhonne
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The ceremony was not announced by the Elysée or put in the president’s official diary because it was considered a private occasion, and the date was organised with the Bezos family to coincide with when he was in Paris. Around 300 foreigners are admitted to the Legion d’honneur every year.
The revelation by the news magazine Le Point has caused anger in France where Macron has been branded the “president of the rich” by leftwing critics. Bezos is the world’s third-richest person, behind the Tesla chief executive, Elon Musk. The top spot is held by the French billionaire Bernard Arnault, the president-director general of the luxury group LVMH, who attended Thursday’s ceremony.
Le Point described the event, attended by “only a few hand-picked guests”, as “sumptuous but confidential”. The event was not listed in the regular updates to the press detailing Macron’s engagements. A photograph published by the conservative magazine showed Bezos in a pale suit chatting to Macron.
