Play

“"The change-resistant Gaul"” meme: meaning, origin and rare card

"The change-resistant Gaul" is an expression from a speech by Emmanuel Macron in August 2018.

MyMemeCards editorial teamPublished 6 min read
"The change-resistant Gaul" meme
The “"The change-resistant Gaul"” meme, 2018

In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “"The change-resistant Gaul"” is a rare card of the French Politics pack, number 10 of the collection, and the 49th best-known meme of its 127 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.

What does the “"The change-resistant Gaul"” meme mean?

The phrase ironically refers to the cultural tendency in France to oppose evolutions, whether social, political, or economic. It highlights a divide between traditional inertia and the need for adaptation. Often used in debates on reforms, it underscores the difficulty in accepting compromises or deep transformations, recalling an identity pride that hinders innovation.

Where does the “"The change-resistant Gaul"” meme come from?

The formula comes from a speech delivered by Emmanuel Macron on August 29, 2018, in Copenhagen, before the French community in Denmark. The president then compared the Danish "flexicurity" model to the French reality. He described the Danes as a "Lutheran people" open to transformation, while France was depicted as a country of "Gauls resistant to change." This contrast aimed to explain why the Danish system could not be directly transposed to France. Macron later described this sentence as a simple "joke," opposing the Danish consensus culture to French "Gaulish tribes." The quote was relayed by journalists, notably via Twitter, before becoming a popular internet meme.

  1. 2018Emmanuel Macron delivers the phrase during his speech in Copenhagen on August 29.

How to use the “"The change-resistant Gaul"” meme

  • Use the image to criticize stubborn refusal in the face of necessary reform in a professional context.
  • Employ the reference to highlight the irony of a situation where one resists an inevitable evolution.
  • Cite the expression during a political debate to remind viewers of cultural resistances to structural changes.

Also searched as

  • Gauls resistant to change
  • Gaulish tribes
  • Lutheran people
  • change-resistant Gaul meaning
  • change-resistant Gaul origin
  • macron copenhagen speech 2018
  • quote change-resistant Gaul
  • flexicurrency denmark france macron
  • macron joke Gauls

The “"The change-resistant Gaul"” card in MyMemeCards

"The change-resistant Gaul" card
NumberNo. 010
RarityRare
CollectionFrench Politics pack
Fame80/100 · #49 of 127
Recycle value10 MemeCoins (30 in Shiny)
Rarities of the French Politics pack: 127 cards
  • Common4535%
  • Rare4737%
  • Epic2016%
  • Legendary107.9%
  • Mythic53.9%

How to get the “"The change-resistant Gaul"” card

Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; "The change-resistant Gaul" comes out of the French Politics pack as a rare card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.

Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 10 MemeCoins.

Open your free pack

5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.

Free · no account needed

Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art 0.8%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details

Memes like “"The change-resistant Gaul"”

More cards of the French Politics pack

Every card of the French Politics pack →

Frequently asked questions

What does the change-resistant Gaul mean?

It is an expression popularized by Emmanuel Macron in 2018 to describe French resistance to change, contrasting with Danish flexibility.

Origin of the change-resistant Gaul meme?

The phrase comes from an official speech by the French president in Copenhagen in August 2018, comparing French and Danish social models.

Meaning of change-resistant Gaul?

It ironically refers to the French cultural aversion to reforms, often perceived as historical rigidity.

Who is the change-resistant Gaul?

It is not a specific person, but a collective metaphor used by Macron to characterize French society facing transformations.

How do I get the "The change-resistant Gaul" meme card?

Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “"The change-resistant Gaul"” is a rare card of the French Politics pack. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.

How rare is the "The change-resistant Gaul" card?

It is a Rare card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.

Sources: Au Danemark, Emmanuel Macron évoque les «Gaulois ... · Macron compare les Français à des "Gaulois réfractaires", puis ... · Au Danemark, Emmanuel Macron ironise sur le "Gaulois réfractaire au changement" · checked on October 7, 2026.

Read next

Want "The change-resistant Gaul" in your collection?

Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.

Open your free pack