A Danish politician has been accused of homophobia after referring to Emmanuel Macron a “pretty little gay boy” during a television debate.

Søren Krarup, who was a Danish People’s Party MP between 2001 and 2011, said he would have voted for Marine Le Pen during a debate on public broadcaster DR’s Debatten programme.

“I would have given her a vote in the absence of [a better option],” he said, according to a translation by The Local.

“I would never vote for that pretty little gay boy.”

When asked to clarify his remark, Mr Krarup appeared to backtrack, adding: “Ah, that’s also wrong. I would have used a slightly nicer expression, but when standing face to face with you here, it can often be difficult to find it.

“I would have said well-behaved little schoolboy.”

The politician appeared to be attacking Mr Macron’s relationship with his wife – his former drama teacher and 24 years his senior – as well as false rumours of a gay affair circulated by opponents.

Macron: If I was 20 years older than my wife, no one would have questioned my relationship

Danish politicians called on Mr Krarup to apologise for his remark, with DR also coming under fire for inviting him to speak.

Jesper Petersen, an MP for the Social Democrats, tweeted: “Homophobia and disrespect is un-Danish.”

Jakob Engel-Schmidt, a spokesperson from the centre-right Venstre party, described the comments “embarrassing and disappointing“, adding that he should apologise immediately.

Mr Krarup claimed he had used a “stupid word that it was not my intention to use” to describe the newly elected French President when questioned by Politiken newspaper.

He said Mr Macron was a “smart guy” but stopped short of a full apology, adding that he “does not like” homosexuality.

“It is not something I have any sympathy for,” Mr Krarup said, claiming he “feels sorry” for the LGBT community.

French Presidential Election Show all 20 1 /20 French Presidential Election French Presidential Election Voters line up to cast their ballots REUTERS French Presidential Election French expats queue along the street outside the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle to cast their vote in a polling station inside the school, in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election, in London, Britain April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor - RTS13JM5 REUTERS French Presidential Election People line up to vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Vaulx-en-Velin near Lyon, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot - RTS13HSP REUTERS French Presidential Election Police patrol polling stations in France REUTERS French Presidential Election Francois Fillon (L), member of the Republicans political party and 2017 French presidential election candidate of the French centre-right, casts his vote in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christophe Archambault/Pool - RTS13IH0 REUTERS French Presidential Election Benoit Hamon (C), French Socialist party 2017 presidential candidate, is surrounded by photographers as he leaves a polling station after voting in the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Trappes, near Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler - RTS13I0Y REUTERS French Presidential Election French President Francois Hollande collects voting slips before casting his ballot in the first round of the 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Tulle, France, on April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Georges Gobet/Pool - RTS13ITO REUTERS French Presidential Election A policeman walks by election posters near a polling station during the first round of 2017 French presidential election in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann - RTS13I3A REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron casts his ballot REUTERS French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron, head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, waves hand during in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Le Touquet, northern France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier - RTS13ICH SAA/ French Presidential Election Jean-Luc Melenchon, candidate of the French far-left Parti de Gauche and candidate for the French 2017 presidential election, leaves a polling booth in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Paris, France, April 23, 2017. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe - RTS13IKB REUTERS French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen casts her ballot Marine Le Pen (L), French National Front (FN) political party leader and candidate for French 2017 presidential election, casts her ballot in the first round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, April 23, 2017. At R, Mayor of Henin-Beaumont Steeve Briois. REUTERS/Charles Platiau - RTS13IEI REUTERS French Presidential Election Early ballots are read as results continue to come in Reuters French Presidential Election Macron supporters react as results come in early in the evening AP French Presidential Election Supporters of Front National leader Marine Le Pen cheer as early results come in Reuters French Presidential Election Alamy Live News. J21KYW Paris, France. 23rd April 2017. Marcon supporters wave French and EU flags after the announcement that he is the leader in the exit polls after the polling stations have been closed. Supporters of Emmanuel Macron, the Presidential candidate from the social liberal political party En Marche! celebrate the exit polls, that see him in first place, ahead of Marine Le Pen from the Front National in the first round of the French Presidential election. Credit: Michael Debets/Alamy Live News This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your current Alamy deal . If you are unsure, please contact our sales team to check. Alamy French Presidential Election Front National leader Marine Le Pen takes to the stage to address her supporters as fans cheer Reuters French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron greets supporters on Sunday night AP French Presidential Election Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte Trogneux celebrate the incoming results EPA

Mr Macron, whose campaign was targeted with a huge cyber attack days before the final vote, was the target of false rumours of a gay affair with a well-known French journalist during the election.

Stories were circulated by supporters of Ms Le Pen, far-right websites and Russian state media, which hosted an opinion piece claiming Mr Macron was backed by a “wealthy gay lobby”.

Earlier this week, Mr Macron told Le Parisien “rampant homophobia” was behind the smear campaign, which assumed homosexuality was a “stain” or a “hidden disease”.

He said the people who peddled or accepted such rumours had “lost their sense of reality” and had a “big problem with homosexuality”.

The French President blamed misogyny for assumptions he could not truly be in love with his older wife, saying their relationship would not have been questioned if the age gap was reversed.

He first met his wife, Brigitte Trogneux, when he was a 15-year-old drama student and she was married with three children, but they developed a closer relationship when they worked together to re-write a play.