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February 14, 2020Benjamin Griveaux, one of the main candidates for mayor of Paris, from La République en Marche (Lrm), the party of President Emmanuel Macron, has retired following the spread of intimate images with a sexual background. The former government spokesman in a statement denounced "ignoble attacks". Le Monde reports it.

The decision of the Macron party exponent, La Republique En Marche, comes one month after the vote in the French capital.

"For more than a year - explained Griveaux in his speech at Bfm Paris - my family and I have been subjected to defamatory statements, lies, rumors, anonymous attacks, revelation of secret private conversations and death threats. This mud torrent it struck me but above all it hurts those I love. As if that were not enough, a new stage was passed yesterday. A website and social networks published despicable attacks involving my privacy ".

Macron's loyalist therefore announces his surrender. "I'm not ready to let ourselves be exposed further, me and my family, now that all shots are allowed, all this goes too far." Thus he makes a decision that "costs him" but to "give priority to the family".

"The project for Paris that we have created and for which we have fought, will go on better without me," added Benjamin Griveaux.

Hidalgo calls for respect for privacy and for people
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, candidate with the socialist party for the reconfirmation, asked "respect for private life and for people", after Benjamin Griveaux's withdrawal from the electoral race following the diffusion of his hot video. "I take note" of Benjamin Griveaux's withdrawal, writes the candidate who believes that "Parisians deserve a dignified debate".

Russian artist claims video diffusion
The controversial Russian artist and performer Piotr Pavlenski has claimed the publication of the hot video that led to the resignation of the candidate for mayor of Paris.

According to reports from the Liberation newspaper, which interviewed Pavlenski yesterday evening, "the artist claims to have had this video from a source who had a willing relationship with Griveaux". Pavlenski, famous for having - among other things - set fire to Lubianka's entrance to Moscow and nailed his scrotum in Red Square - left Russia and took refuge in France a few years ago after being arrested several times in homeland. The performer explained that with the publication of the video he wanted to "denounce Griveaux's hypocrisy".