'No Questions' at Macron and Metsola Press Conference Prompts Journalists to Walk Out

Journalists walked out of a press conference with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and French president Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, January 19, after they were told that the two leaders would not be taking questions.

Jillian Deutsch, a reporter for Bloomberg, said that journalists present were “furious” as they had been waiting for an hour before they were told the leaders would not take questions. She said that “when someone shouted about it as they took to the podium,” Macron pointed at his watch.

Video filmed by Financial Times European Union Correspondent Mehreen Khan shows journalists walking out of the press conference. She said that “having Metsola and he [Macron] repeat press statements with no questions is a waste of time.”

The press conference was held after a debate in Strasbourg on the priorities of France’s Presidency of the Council. Metsola was announced as the next President of the European Parliament the day before. Credit: Mehreen Khan via Storyful