Benjamin Griveaux, figure of the macronie with deposed candidate

Text by: Romain Philips Follow

Figure of the macronie, Benjamin Griveaux withdrew his candidacy for the mayor of Paris this Friday February 14, 2020. Former socialist, his political career knew a turning point when he entered the inner circle of Emmanuel Macron, for the creation of the Republic on the move (LaRem).

Publicity

" I do not want to expose ourselves any more, my family and me, when all blows are now allowed, " declared this Friday the 14th, Benjamin Griveaux. Denouncing a “ vile attack ”, the one who was ranked 3rd in the polls, decided to withdraw his candidacy for the Parisian municipal election following the posting of private sexual images.

Son of a notary and a mother lawyer, he entered politics with the Socialist Party. Before becoming a figure in French politics, the deposed candidate made his weapons locally. It is in Saône-et-Loire that the 42-year-old man won his first mandates. First elected municipal councilor of Chalon-sur-Saône, then general councilor in 2008, under the chairmanship of Arnaud Montebourg, he then joined the cabinet of the Minister of Health, Marisol Touraine, in 2012.

But it was his presence in Strauss-Khanian circles from 2003, and his participation in Dominique Strauss-Khan's campaign in the 2006 primary that really served him as an ascent. It was at this time, in the ranks of the " DSK Boys " that he met people such as Cédric O (Secretary of State for Digital Affairs), Stanislas Guérini (General Delegate LaRem and Member of Parliament for Paris), or Ismaël Emelien (former special advisor to Emmanuel Macron). It is in particular the latter who will invite him in 2015 to join the commando of Emmanuel Macron , then Minister of Economy of François Hollande, for the creation of La République en Marche and the preparation of the presidential election.

A follower of the president

Since entering the macronist circle, he has not left. He quickly became essential and began as a spokesperson for La République en Marche before being elected as a deputy in 2017. His visit to the Palais Bourbon was very short. One month after his election, he entered the government of Édouard Philippe as Secretary of State to the Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, until November 24, 2017, when he took office government spokesperson.

His political rise was not without a stir. On January 5, 2019, as tensions rose during Act VIII of the "yellow vests", a group of demonstrators broke down the door of his ministry with a forklift. " The first time that a Minister of the Fifth Republic is forced to run away from his office, " writes Le Monde , January 18, 2019.

The town hall race

On March 27, 2019, he left the government to devote himself to the Parisian municipal campaign, taking with him the image of a scathing and provocative spokesperson. Invested by the presidential party, he launched himself into a more than perilous campaign. A campaign weighed down by a fratricidal conflict with Cédric Villani (MP for Essonne), strong opposition from the "yellow vests" who did not hesitate to disrupt its events and revelations from Le Point on insulting comments towards its competitors at the investiture LREM, his candidacy is struggling to take off.

I address to Benjamin Griveaux, as well as to his family, my full and whole support in this test. I take note of his difficult decision. His outrageous attack is a serious threat to our democracy.

Despite the repeated support of the tenors of the majority and the vein attempts to rally the dissident candidate, who brought " his full support " to Benjamin Griveaux, the intentions to vote in his favor do not exceed 16%. While LaRem benefited from a favorable position in view of the results of the previous elections in the capital, the duel Griveaux-Villani leads the two men to the bottom, in favor of Anne Hidalgo, the current mayor of Paris, who retains his dominant position.

Until this Friday, February 14, the candidate Griveaux ran his campaign as best he could, but the public disclosure of private sexual images will have pushed him to renounce the elections of March 15 and 22. " This torrent of mud affected me ," he said.

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• French politics
• 2020 municipal elections
• Paris
• France

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