The real reason behind Macron's anti-science outburst? He'll do anything to talk down Britain The self-styled premier statesman is desperate to distract attention from his political troubles at home and abroad 30 January 2021 • 8:00pm Why has Emmanuel Macron gone full Trump on the Oxford vaccine? Back in 2017, when this largely unknown technocrat managed to win the greatest accumulator bet in the history of modern French politics to become the 8th president of the Fifth Republic, he started referring to himself as “Jupiter”. Persuaded that he could win over anyone to his side by his signature mix of relentless charm and cold intelligence, he set out to become Europe’s premier statesman. The UK was leaving, so would, soon, chancellor Merkel; Macron, who had campaigned under the blue-and-gold EU flag alongside the French tricolour, saw an opening.