[IG2I] Poudre de perlimpinpin

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Emmanuel Macron saying c'est de la poudre de perlimpinpin from the 2017 French presidential debate, used to call out empty promises and nonsense claims.

This short voice clip captures Emmanuel Macron delivering the line c'est de la poudre de perlimpinpin with a calm, dismissive tone during a televised debate. The phrase uses an old French expression for a fake magic powder that promises miracles but does nothing. His delivery is dry and cutting rather than shouted, which makes the moment feel like a polite but firm shutdown. Listeners instantly read it as scepticism, as if the speaker is exposing flimsy arguments, exaggerated claims or a too good to be true pitch in a few seconds.

The line comes from the 3 May 2017 televised debate between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen ahead of the French presidential election run off. Macron used the old expression poudre de perlimpinpin, traditionally a quack remedy with no real effect, to dismiss his opponent's proposals as empty. The phrase surged in French media and online afterwards, spawning remixes, parodies and reaction clips, and it remains a widely recognised shorthand in France for snake oil, political bluffing and promises that sound magical but lack substance.

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What does poudre de perlimpinpin mean?

It is a traditional French expression for a fake magic powder sold by charlatans. Figuratively it describes something presented as miraculous or effective that in reality does nothing, similar to the English idea of snake oil or empty promises.

Who says c'est de la poudre de perlimpinpin in this clip?

The voice is Emmanuel Macron during his 2017 televised presidential debate against Marine Le Pen. He used the phrase to criticise her proposals, and the short excerpt has since circulated widely as a reaction and meme sound in France.

How do people use this sound online?

Creators drop it after dubious claims, miracle cures or overblown political promises as a quick punchline. It works in reaction videos, edits and group chats where a dry, recognisable French dismissal is funnier than explaining why something sounds false.