It's a new world, but not the one Emmanuel Macron called for. A political life where now all blows are allowed. Including personal, including based on rumors, without any verification or investigation. Everyone, in this case Russian activist Piotr Pavlenski, can now interfere via social networks in an election campaign and tip it over. Benjamin Griveaux learned it the hard way. Forced to give up, Friday, February 14, his candidacy in Paris because of the broadcast of a video of a sexual nature.
What give cold sweats to the entire French political class. Almost the whole chessboard was outraged in unison with the disclosure of private exchanges intended to descend to the flames Benjamin Griveaux. The other main candidates in Paris quickly intervened to condemn the methods that led to the abandonment of their opponent by attacking the private sphere.
VIDEO. Griveaux case: Hidalgo calls for “respect for the privacy of families”
Jean-Luc Mélenchon castigated without reservation the publication "odious" "of intimate images to destroy an adversary [...]. No, all blows are not allowed, "he added in a message published on Twitter, addressing his activists:" Insubmissive, do not participate in any way in the settlement of accounts which Benjamin Griveaux is object. "
Only Marine Le Pen brings a nuance by calling into question the lightness of the ex-candidate LREM in Paris. The boss of the National Rally considers that Benjamin Griveaux "undoubtedly behaved irresponsibly", but she also wondered about a possible "set-up".
"By killing Griveaux, you damage Macron"
Why such an outcry from almost the entire political class? Because elected officials of all stripes feel that France has changed. Questions of private life are no longer sanctuarized as in the days of François Mitterrand. The rue du Cirque and the revelation of François Hollande's affair with Julie Gayet were a warning, we went into high gear with the disqualification of Griveaux.
Political Newsletter
Every day, political news seen by Le ParisienI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
But was he the only one targeted? A regular hit on election campaigns analyzes the situation: "By killing Griveaux, you damage Macron." Maybe there are ulterior motives, yes ”.
Emmanuel Macron imagined headlines on the fall in unemployment or his green advocacy from Mont-Blanc. Alas, he will have the explosion in flight of his champion in Paris. "Here comes the president, hit once again. His agenda is swept away by this scandal, "notes and laments a deputy of the majority.
Ironically, the head of state took long weeks to publicly express support for his former lieutenant. He had chosen to let Darwinism do its work between Griveaux and Villani. Except that at the end of January, he changed his mind and clearly showed his preference.
A ministerial adviser deciphers: "The problem is that after having waited a very long time, the president had finally, finally, expressed his support for Benjamin, when he had received Villani to ask him to rally, so now, necessarily , the rout gives the feeling that he does not know how to choose men. "
