Europe

Fresh Political Row in France After Minister Marlène Schiappa Appears on Playboy Magazine Cover

French Minister Marlene Schiappa on the cover of the April issue of Playboy Magazine (French version).

YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — Marlene Schiappa, the Minister of Social Economy of France, has caused a new public and political role after appearing on the front cover of the adult lifestyle magazine Playboy.

The Government’s State Secretary also gave a 12-page interview on LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality to the French edition of the magazine. However, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne is also among those who criticized her for it.

Schiappa made history in 2017 when she became the first Gender Equality Minister of France. Before entering politics, she gained fame as a feminist author writing works that circled gender and motherhood.

Marlene Schiappa has several critics for posing for Playboy

The incident has caused a major controversy in France. Several opposition politicians, French citizens, and even political friends have criticized Schiappa for the stunt. While the printed copy of the magazine will hit newsstands on April 8, the initial photo has been enough to ignite anger in the country.

Fellow feminist Member of Parliament Sandrine Rousseau of the Europe Ecology-The Greens party was among those that criticized Schiappa for the photoshoot. An outspoken critic of President Emmanuel Macron, she called the incident a “smoke screen.”

Sharing some old French magazine publications, Rousseau highlighted what real feminism should look like.

Opposition politicians have also slammed Schiappa for the photoshoot

French Prime Minister Slams Schiappa

According to local reports, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne told Marlene Schiappa that her Playboy appearance “wasn’t appropriate, especially during this period.”

In recent weeks, Emmanuel Macron’s Government has seen a series of violent protests. French citizens, led by workers’ unions, have clashed with the police after the government pushed ahead with its controversial decision to raise the state pension age from 62 to 64 years.

However, the French minister is unhinged by her decision to appear on the cover of Playboy. Defending her photoshoot and the interview, she denounced her critics, calling some of them “hypocrites.”