"I underestimated the power of this system when it wants to grind you down."

In a post, published on Twitter this Tuesday morning, the journalist Taha Bouhafs, invested by France Insoumise in the Rhône for the legislative elections, hinted that he was withdrawing his candidacy for Vénissieux, even before entering the campaign.

And yet without saying it precisely.

"I was supported, not enough to hold on, but enough to be grateful (...) Keep fighting, I tried but I can't do it anymore", he concludes, lamenting having been the victim of a " unprecedented storm of attacks”.

“Every day, a new slander, a new insult, a new death threat, a new accusation.

I didn't even have the authorization to answer it”, he complains while he did not respond to any of the numerous requests for interviews from the media.

"It's an acknowledgment of failure behind all this"

The withdrawal of the candidate was nevertheless confirmed by the executives of France Insoumise.

"It's an acknowledgment of failure behind all that," regrets Adrien Quatennens, spokesperson for the party interviewed by Sud Radio.

And to add: “In the past he may have made mistakes in his expressions but none of this justifies the relentlessness he is undergoing.

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“It pains me, commented Alexis Corbière on France 2. Taha Bouhafs was the example of these social circles, far from politics, and who are committed and who are not always perfect.

Are you perfect?

Me no ".

Taha Bouhafs was sentenced to a fine of 1,500 euros, in particular for public insult for having called the police trade unionist Linda Kebab a “service Arab”;

conviction which he appealed.

On Monday, the former communist presidential candidate Fabien Roussel had notably asked France Insoumise to "review this candidacy", also considering that Michèle Picard, the PCF mayor of Vénissieux, was more legitimate locally than the journalist.

Legislative 2022 LIVE: "I tried but I can't do it anymore", Taha Bouhafs throws in the towel...

Elections

Legislative 2022: Taha Bouhafs formalizes his candidacy for Vénissieux, before filing a complaint against those who "defamed or insulted" him

  • Elections

  • Legislative elections 2022

  • Taha Bouhafs

  • La France Insoumise (LFI)

  • Venissieux

  • Lyons

  • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes