The French President's associate sent sexual videos to his lover and was forced to retire from the Paris mayoral race • His rival stood alongside him

• Mecca for Macron // Photo: AFP

Although French voters are generally very forgiving of the betrayal of politicians, over the weekend Benjamin Gribo, President Emmanuel Macron's nominee, had to retire from the Paris mayoral race after a video and sexual messages he sent circulated online.

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This is a video and messages he allegedly sent to a young woman, who went online on Wednesday and from there spread across the social network. The video shows Garibo (apparently) performing a sexual act.

After sending the video, he wrote to the woman in one of the messages: "It's me after I got up this morning." The correspondence was not criminal in nature but embarrassed Griebo, who was apparently in continuous contact with the woman, during whom they sent intimate photos and messages.

42-year-old Gribo, who was once Macron's government spokesman and member of the National Assembly, is married and the father of three children. He has a lot to mention during the mayoral campaign. On Friday, when he announced his retirement, he attacked the leaks.

Benjamin Gribo // Photo: Reuters

"I don't deserve this attitude in my family, no one should win such bullying," he said in his statement, adding: "For more than a year, my family and I have had to absorb slander, anonymity and lies, leak private conversations, and threats to our lives. Yesterday a new low came. "

A Russian artist who lives in Paris, who is apparently close to the "yellow vests" protest movement, said he posted the video and text messages to "denounce the candidate's hypocrisy".

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"He always mentions family values, and always said he would be a model for Paris families, but he does the opposite," the artist, Peter Pavlanski, told the Liberation newspaper.

Grievo found himself in a tough battle with the incumbent mayor, Anne Idelgo, who is considered a favorite. Macron wants his party to dominate Paris, which is a major focus of French politics, but the collapse of Griebo actually shuts down that option. Be that as it may, Grivo's rivals came out in defense this weekend, and Idlgo herself said "his privacy must be respected."