Griveaux: Game Over in the Age of Social Media - Report 02/14/2020
This marks a turning point in the municipal election campaign and in French political life. Benjamin Griveaux, one of the leading candidates for mayor of Paris, a member of parliament for La République en Marche (LRM) representing Paris and former government spokesperson, has announced that he is withdrawing from the race following the online release of a sexually explicit video. "For over a year, my family and I have been subjected to defamatory remarks, lies, anonymous attacks, the release of stolen private conversations, and death threats. This torrent of mud has affected me, but it has hurt those I love most. Yesterday, a new line was crossed: a website and social media platforms relayed vile attacks targeting my private life. My family doesn't deserve this; no one should have to endure such violence. As for me, I don't want to expose us any further when anything goes. This has gone too far. That's why I've decided to withdraw my candidacy. This decision is painful, but my priorities are very clear: my family comes first," he declared this Friday morning in a brief address.
Shortly after this statement, the daily newspaper Libération published an article in which the Russian protest artist Piotr Pavlenski explained that he had posted the very intimate images online, which he claimed to have obtained from a "source" "who had a consensual relationship with Benjamin Griveaux." The activist, a political refugee in France since May 2017, said he wanted to "denounce the hypocrisy" of the LRM (La République en Marche) politician, "who says he wants to be the mayor for families and always cites his wife and children as examples. But he does the exact opposite." He later warned on BFM TV that "this was just the beginning and that there would be more videos."
Benjamin Griveaux's lawyer indicated that he was considering filing a complaint. "There is a clear violation of privacy, in violation of both the civil and criminal codes," explained Richard Malka, when interviewed by Le Monde. Distributing an intimate video without the consent of those depicted is punishable by a fine of €60,000 and two years in prison.
"Filthy attacks," "a torrent of mud," "a threat to democracy"... The affair has sent shockwaves through all the campaign teams vying for the position of mayor of Paris, as well as throughout the entire political class. From Le Havre, Édouard Philippe expressed his "sympathy" for Benjamin Griveaux. The Prime Minister then posted a tweet in which he offered his full support to the former LREM candidate: "My thoughts are with Benjamin Griveaux, who made a conscious decision. A difficult decision. Now it is urgent to leave the man and his family in peace."
In a tweet, the leader of La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, condemned the "odious" publication of "intimate images to destroy an opponent." "No, not all tactics are justified," he wrote in this message, adding: "Rebellious France, do not participate in any way in the settling of scores targeting Benjamin Griveaux." MEP Raphaël Glucksmann described the affair as "deeply disgusting and worrying for the future. Politics should not, cannot be like this. We must pull ourselves together or we will all drown in the filth."
For the first time in France, a private sexually explicit video published online has had a direct impact on an election campaign. How did these images circulate on the internet? What will be the consequences of this affair? Who could replace Benjamin Griveaux in the race for mayor of Paris?
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