Emmanuel Macron has been plunged into a fresh crisis as France’s Education Minister is facing calls to quit just six days into her new job.
Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, who also serves as Sports Minister, is coming under fire over remarks she made about her own children's schooling.
The 45-year-old said last week she preferred to send her children to a private Catholic school in Paris.
Oudéa-Castéra’s confession infuriated union leaders and her political opponents.
France's President Emmanuel Macron is facing a crisis
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The former tennis professional was given her new education brief following the French President’s decision to replace Elisabeth Borne with Gabriel Attal as Prime Minister on January 11.
Oudéa-Castéra issued an apology just hours into her new role after singling out the alleged issue of public school teachers who go on leave without being replaced.
Macron defended Oudéa-Castéra during a press conference held earlier today, claiming she should stay in office.
He said: "The minister made ill-chosen public comments.
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Amélie Oudéa-Castéra also serves as Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games
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“She apologised and she was right to. The minister will succeed in working with teachers."
The French President is facing another crisis after Culture Minister Rachida Dati was named in corruption-related preliminary charges.
Macron argued the justice system is independent and Dati has a right to the "presumption of innocence".
However, the two-time President was keen to set out his own plans for the remainder of his time in the Elysee Palace.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed former US President Donald Trump to a meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace
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Macron denounced the populist National Rally party ahead of key elections to Brussels and Strasbourg later this year.
He said: “Basically, the National Rally has become the party of easy anger. Let’s not get used to it.”
The French President also revealed he would look to work with Donald Trump if he returned to the White House.
He said: “The United States is an important ally... It’s a democracy that’s going through a crisis in which it itself is the first priority and the second priority is China’s power. All of us Europeans need to be lucid about that.”
Trump, who scored a momentum-building win in Iowa’s Republican primary race, recently appeared to mock Macron by mimicking the 45-year-old’s French accent.