Macron Urged to Resign Amid Claims of 'Secret Deal' With Uber

According to the documents leaked by the Guardian, tech giant Uber exploited violence against its drivers and used its influence to secretly lobby political leaders as it expanded across the world. One of such leaders was allegedly the French president.

French President Emmanuel Macron has faced calls to step down amid his purported ties to taxi giant Uber. Uber is currently under fire for allegedly inking a secret deal with the French president concerning the company’s service regulations.

"Macron must resign! He betrays France, its companies, the State, justice, the people! Out!" said Les Patriotes leader Florian Philippot.

He also urged the opposition to initiate a no-confidence vote against Macron following the Uber leak.

The leader of the French Communist Party, Fabien Roussel, voiced similar sentiments, saying that Macron was benefiting the wealthy instead of protecting French citizens. A National Rally MEP Jordan Bardella likewise accused Macron of putting private interests before those of his countries.

"Emmanuel Macron's career has a consistency, a common thread: to serve private interests, often foreign, before national interests," Bardella tweeted.

The parliamentary faction of the La France Insoumise Party founded by Jean-Luc Melenchon is already planning to use its right to launch a commission to investigate Macron's alleged ties to Uber.

"This is very serious, the idea that Macron, by engaging in a secret agreement with the company, has deregulated the rules concerning cabs. What lesson can be drawn from that? Obviously, you have to raise the question, you can go to the government, you can create a commission of inquiry," La France Insoumise Lawmaker Alexis Corbiere said.

According to the "Uber Files", then-Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs Macron promised to "personally look" into the 2015 banning of one of Uber’s services in Marseille. Macron also reached a reported "secret deal" with the taxi company to help it work despite legislation banning its services.

Le Monde, in turn, claimed that the French president was "more than a supporter, almost a partner" for Uber, having held more than 17 meetings with company executives when it faced legal issues in France.

AFP has reported that Uber France confirmed it had been in contact with Macron during his ministerial tenure, but that their interaction was within the scope of his duties as he stayed 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".

The French president has not commented on the situation.