Villani says candidacy would not be an "act of defiance" of the government

The World with AFP Posted today at 21h56

Time to Reading 2 min.

Cédric Villani assured Monday, September 2 to Emmanuel Macron and Edouard Philippe that his possible dissident candidacy to the municipal in Paris would not be the expression of a "Distrust" towards them. The mathematician will do a statement to Parisians this Wednesday, September 4 at 7 pm "said Baptiste Fournier, campaign manager for Villani.

Benjamin Griveaux, unanimously chosen by the members of the National Inauguration Commission in July to represent LREM in March 2020, proposed to Cédric Villani de "Co-pilot" the presidential party's campaign, "Both in substance and in incarnation". But the MP from Essonne, whose possible candidacy "Alternative" Macronie has been agitating for weeks, declined the proposal.

In another message sent Monday to Mr. Griveaux and the boss of LREM, Stanislas Guerini, the mathematician assures them that his statement coming Wednesday "Would not be against LREM" or against them "Individually". But he regrets that "The current operation does not (is) not able to fulfill the conditions allowing Parisians to gather around a project for the future and innovative ». And the proposals made "Do not dispel discomfort (that he has) feeling "adds the mathematician.

Benjamin Griveaux opposed to an exclusion of Cédric Villani

"Disagreements, especially within the same political family, must be overcome by dialogue and argumentation", estimates Benjamin Griveaux in a letter sent Monday evening to the Walkers. "After the intense media campaign of the last days, it is now more than likely that Cédric Villani announced Wednesday his candidacy in Paris. If that were to be the case, I would regret it "adds the former government spokesman, whose start of the campaign was marked by controversy.

Villani will officially announce Wednesday at 7 pm his "Intentions" for Paris, in this case a dissenting candidacy, or not, to get out of the announced duel between the outgoing PS mayor, Anne Hidalgo, and Benjamin Griveaux, leaving to fragment the vote in March in the capital. The prospect of a possible candidacy of Cédric Villani raises the question of his exclusion from the party, in accordance with the statutes of LREM.

"I hear the many requests for exclusion. Do not give in where so many others have given up. ", writes Benjamin Griveaux who "Do not want an isolated behavior to undermine the movement that he (it) has participated in building and sustaining from the first day with so many others among you". On Sunday, the head of the LREM deputies, Gilles Le Gendre, while supporting Mr Griveaux, also said he was against "Any form of exclusion or sanction vis-à-vis Cédric Villani or vis-à-vis its possible support" if he showed up.