Emmanuel Macron Ordered a Really Fancy Set of China and People Are Angry
French President Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism for his spending habits again  though this time, it has to do with a fancy set of plates. Macron reportedly ordered a 1,200-piece set of china from Svres Manufacturing, a porcelain factory that creates intricate designs and has been the go-to company for French leaders since the 18th century, according to the New York Times. Svres is heavily subsidized by the state  it reportedly receives 4 million from the government  and Macron's order "doesn't represent any additional cost," a company spokesperson told the Times. And while it is common for new presidents to order their own sets of serveware for official dinners at the Elyse Palace and other events, Macron's new plates come as he was already slammed for using a private plane to fly 68 miles earlier in the week. The controversy surrounding Macron's new set of China was initially sparked earlier this week by French satirical magazine Le Canard Enchain, which estimated that it would cost 500,000, or about 580,000  far more than earlier reports from the newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that the plates would cost about 58,000. Le Canard Enchain said it based its estimate on the fees associated with making the china, which can take up to five hours per plate, according to the Times. "The precise total cost is unknown for the moment, but what is sure is that the final bill will be huge," the satirical weekly newspaper wrote. "The painful bill should reach or even exceed half a million euros, given the current costs of manufacturing them." It estimated the cost per plate was about 400, or 464. The controversy over his plate order comes at a time when Macron is trying to distance himself from being dubbed "president of the rich"  even though he is also fielding criticism for a recent video that shows him casually discussing France's welfare system with a team of advisers. "Look, we put truckload of cash into social welfare and people are still poor," he says. "You can't escape it. People are born poor and they stay poor. Those who fall into poverty stay poor  they have to be able to get themselves out of it.", Some were quick to point that Macron's plate bill could be seen as "a truckload of cash.", "Macron spends "a truckload of cash" on crockery at the expense of the taxpayer while there are people who don't even have something to put on their plate everyday! Disgusting!," Daniel Lerouge from the opposition Socialist Party wrote on Twitter. But not everyone thought Macron's new China was extravagant. French Magazine Le Point said many would view the President's plate order positively, as "state support for a heritage industry, and a priceless investment."