In these times of anti-politics, former French socialist president François Hollande has become
the second most popular politician in the country
. The French miss his great humor, his cartoon face, his bonhomie, his excellent relationship with Jacques Chirac, the journalists and
his
most famous presidential
"red-handed"
scooter with
Julie Gayet
, his current wife and actress. .
With the polls in hand, François is preparing to
return to the presidential ring
and defeat his former pupil and former secretary general of the presidency, the current head of state Emmanuel Macron in 2027.
A campaign that has started spontaneously with his most beloved object:
his scooter,
that three-wheeled moped, just like the one he drove all his life outside the palace, with which he
brought breakfast croissants to
his lover, Julie Gayet, who He was in a “garsoniere”, 150 meters from the Elysée Palace, when he was still living with the Paris Match journalist,
Valerie Trierweiler.
François Hollande and Valerie Trierweiler, in an image from 2014. Photo: AFP
The moped goes to public auction, after being sold by the Elysée, with a slogan:
“The scooter of scandal
. ”
François Hollande used it to leave the palace anonymously,
without guard, regularly
. He always drove one. The historic black helmet is his and is not for sale.
An object of desire
François Hollande is preparing to return 10 years after the "scooter affair" and
collectors are fighting over it like hot croissants
. The moped that the press ridiculed today has become
an object of desire
.
Hollande's scooter, up for auction. Photo: ROUILLAC.COM
A decade later, the country's most unpopular leader in modern history has once again enjoyed such enchantment that the famous moped he drove with a large black helmet behind his bodyguard
is being sold at auction as a collector's item
. with offers starting at 10,000 euros.
The famous “scooter du scandal”,
a gray three-wheeled Piaggio from 2009, with 34,000 kilometers
, which came to symbolize the unpopularity of the Hollande era of 2012-2017, was put up for sale by Patrick Sionneau, its last owner, in the central region of Loir-et-Cher. The Elysée had sold it in 2015.
“The vehicle from the palace motor park should fetch a good price because the French are fascinated by the transportation of their leaders, from the Vizir, Napoleon Bonaparte's horse, to Charles de Gaulle's Citroën DS,” said Aymeric Rouillac, the scooter auctioneer, to Paris Match magazine.
Julie Gayet, French actress, former lover and current partner of Hollande. Photo: AP
Hollande has always been characterized by his extraordinary sense of humor, with his imperturbable face. Faithful to him, Hollande certified the authenticity of his Piaagio to Patrick Sionneau (71), who had given it to his wife Manola (71) on the anniversary of their 50 years of marriage.
“He certified that it is the correct scooter,”
Hollande authenticated. He then signed a photo with:
“To Patrick and Manola, who are lucky enough to ride my scooter to increase their happiness.”
A "normal" and now popular president
Hollande has regained his popularity when
Macron has a poor image among 70 percent of French people.
Crowds attend former President Hollande's lectures and signings of his best-selling books.
As an ingenious political veteran, he is disputed by television programs. This week he published "His Europe", an illustrated guide to the EU for young people.
The young people have affection for him, sympathy.
Hollande has regained his popularity when Macron has a poor image among 70 percent of French people. Photo: Bloomberg
“For those who are between 18 and 25 years old, I was the president of their childhood. There were Santa Claus and the president. “I’ve kept myself nice,” Hollande recalls, amusingly.
Reckoning with Macron
A return to active politics would settle his scores with Macron, the flamboyant young protégé, who served as Hollande's economy minister until he broke away in 2016 to launch his centrist campaign for the presidency.
He has made it clear that he has not forgiven Macron's “betrayal,”
which altered the political landscape, nearly demolishing the Socialists as a national party.
“Macron, struggling against his deep unpopularity, lacks any political conviction and has “broken a political system,” Hollande said last year. The former leader of the Socialists from 1999 to 2008 is rejected by his former party, a shadow more leftist than it was before and
completely diluted.
That is probably its greatest advantage, in an electoral scenario where the anti-European far-right Marine Le Pen
and her National Regrouping and
the centrist Edward Philippe
are projected
. A pragmatic, agree-oriented, pro-European social democrat with the experience of a statesman was not in the picture. Hollande can help rebuild the socialist party.
The “scooter-gate” on the cover of Closer magazine revealed the president's infidelity. Photo: Reuters
Its current leader, Olivier Faure, blames Hollande for the 2017 debacle. He recalled this week the “mood of despondency” that took over the party in January 2014, when “scooter-gate” broke out, after The images were published by Closer, a celebrity weekly.
Ten years have passed since François Hollande confirmed his separation from Valérie Trierweiler, the first lady, following revelations of his affair with a popular and well-known actress. The revenge book she wrote after
her made her a millionaire.
Merci
for revenge
That revelation in 2014 of Hollande dating Julie Gayet, an actress, while Valérie Trierweiler, his partner, was first lady,
caused internal turmoil in the palace.
After
Trierweiler was expelled from the Elysée
and transferred to the psychiatric department of La Salpetriére hospital, she wrote
“Merci pour ce moment
” (Thank you for this moment), a book of revenge, which is credited with having provoked Hollande. abandoned his candidacy for re-election.
At 69 years old, the socialist, without an electoral diet even to lose his extra kilos and enjoying good food in long and fun after-dinner conversations with journalists,
is savoring a renaissance.
Second most popular politician
According to the monthly Ifop-Match poll, he has just become the second most popular political figure in France, after Édouard Philippe, the first center-right prime minister during Macron's presidency. That contrasts with four percent approval for Hollande in a 2017 poll.
The pragmatic Hollande
believes he has a chance of returning
after Emmanuel Macron leaves office in
2027,
at the end of the two-term presidential limit. A world turned upside down, with the war in Ukraine and the possibility of a Russian victory threatening Europe, the conflict in the Middle East, the resurrection of ISIS, France with an “urgent attack” as when he governed, Great Britain in a chaotic post-Brexit state
would be the inheritance
to receive if François Hollande returns to the Elysée.