Paris (AFP)

"Inhabited" by his fight for ecology and solidarity, Matthieu Orphelin, at the head of a list associating ecologists and rebels in the Pays de la Loire for the regions, has often expressed a dissonant voice and refused to be the "green bond" of the majority, before leaving the group of LREM deputies.

"I can see how this great gathering, unprecedented in Pays de la Loire, is innovative and strong. Everything was to be written and each of the political forces put their efforts into making it possible. The sense of responsibility guided us", explained- there in mid-April in a tweet.

Being elected deputy for Maine-et-Loire in 2017 with the LREM label, four years later lead the battle for the region with the support of EELV and LFI: it is through this unexpected route that this close friend of Nicolas Hulot wants to prove his determination to continue his fights for ecology and solidarity.

At 48, he is "an agitator of ideas" who has a "real political flair", said of him a cadre of the majority, while he still belonged to the LREM group in the Assembly.

"If he goes on a subject, it is not to butter sandwiches".

Very present in the media, Mr. Orphelin had often expressed a dissonant voice, refusing to be the "green bond" of the majority.

In February 2019, he finally slammed the door of the group of LREM deputies, according to him due to insufficient progress by the majority on "climate, ecological and social issues".

"I am leaving after having done everything possible, but unfortunately we are not at the right pace on any of the major projects of ecological and solidarity transition", he justified himself, before the release of a book entitled "I do not work anymore" .

- "Hyphen" -

Without a label - the Ecologie Démocratie Solidarité group that he founded in the Assembly fizzled out in 2020 - he is nonetheless a follower of a vigorous oratorical style.

At the beginning of April, he denounced "the shameful obstruction of the LR" against the text on euthanasia.

A few days later, along with left-wing deputies, he regretted the prefectural ban on gatherings of young climate activists near the National Assembly.

To Gérald Darmanin, the Minister of the Interior, he asked to stop the "absurdities".

Lately, after having led the fight with passion against the Climate bill, he threw himself into that in favor of regional languages.

This elected official with the well-groomed goat, who publicly made his gay "coming-out" in 2018, arrived at the Assembly with the wave of neo-deputies in 2017, without being a novice in politics.

EELV activist until 2012 before becoming spokesperson for the Hulot foundation (2012-2015), he was also vice-president of Pays de la Loire from 2010 to 2015.

He had been interested in En Marche from the end of 2016 and had contributed to the campaign as an expert on ecology.

In February 2017, he had applied online and found himself, a little surprised, among the first 14 candidates presented.

After the first round, he had become the "hyphen" between Emmanuel Macron and Nicolas Hulot.

After the departure of his mentor from the government in September 2018, Matthieu Orphelin had chosen to stay with the "walkers" where he was the "ecological conscience" of the group, according to a colleague, drawing his legitimacy from his career as an engineer of the 'École centrale de Nantes and doctor in energy from the École des mines de Paris, who has spent most of his career at the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe).

© 2021 AFP