With Paris on fire, approval ratings falling and a parliament in revolt, Macron is now dealing with the fallout from a 12-page interview with Marlene Schiappa in the magazine.
The decision to pose for Playboy has drawn criticism from within the former erotica writer’s own party, including Elisabeth Borne, the Prime Minister and Mrs Schiappa’s boss.
Ms Schiappa (40), the outspoken Secretary of State for Social Economy and Associations and a self-proclaimed ‘sapio-sexual’ – a person who is attracted to highly intelligent people – was seen as ‘the most Playboy compatible” of ministers, Jean-Christophe Florentin, de Playboy France editor said.
Ms Schiappa, an activist turned politician, reportedly agreed to give the interview to explain everything from feminism, violence against women and women’s rights, to politics, global warming and literature.
As Ms. Schiappa appears fully clothed on the cover and in the 12-page spread, she poses seductively, wrapped around the French flag, reports The Parisianwho broke the story.
Leaked photos show the minister wearing a one-shoulder dress in one image and a voluminous bow-tie dress in another, captioned “A liberated minister”.
Ms Schiappa’s critics described her performance as a contrived distraction and an embarrassment to her party.
According to French media, Ms Borne even scolded Ms Schiappa in a telephone conversation on Saturday, telling her “it was inappropriate”. Ms. Schiappa did not clarify the interview with Ms. Borne beforehand.
“I thought beforehand it was April 1,” said Ludovic Mendes, colleague of Ms Schiappa’s renaissance party.
“I can understand the feminist struggle, but I don’t see why we should do it Playboy. There are other ways to do it.”
Mrs. Schiappa defended her Playboy cover, called her critics hypocrites. “Defending women’s right to control their bodies is everywhere and always. In France, women are free,” she tweeted. “With all due respect to the apostates and the hypocrites.”
