Election battle lines set as Macron pits himself against France’s unvaccinated

Growing political divisions over Covid rules have emerged in run-up to presidential election in April

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Emmanuel Macron is facing growing political divisions over Covid rules in the run-up to the spring presidential election, after his proposed vaccine pass was delayed and teachers took strike action, amid ongoing street demonstrations and a rise in violent threats against politicians.

With an increasing mood of fatigue among French voters after two years of the pandemic and a significant mistrust of the political class, the president -- who is likely to hold off declaring his re-election bid for several weeks as the coronavirus health crisis continues -- wants to be seen as reliable but firm.