A deputy defector

In this funny National Assembly, Aurélien Taché, 38, is a special case. But not unique. In 2017, he was elected, in the 10th constituency of Val-d’Oise, deputy La République en Marche (LRM). Five years later, he was re-elected (with 55.76% of the vote) but under the label New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes). In the meantime, he supported the mayor of Grenoble, Eric Piolle, in the environmental primary, then Yannick Jadot in the presidential election.

An astonishing trajectory taken by three other “walking” deputies: Cédric Villani, Delphine Bagarry and Hubert Julien-Laferrière. Finally, only the latter, deputy of the 2nd district of the Rhône, will accompany Aurélien Taché on this crossroads. Both will sit in the National Assembly with environmentalists. “I ran a campaign on the betrayal of Macron’s promises. And I was perfectly understood by the voters, ”rejoices Aurélien Taché.

A disappointed socialist

Born in Niort (Deux-Sèvres) to civil servant parents, the young teenager Aurélien Taché looked for himself for a long time. Earring and black jacket, he dropped out in 3rd grade and started a plumbing apprenticeship. He returned to university in Limoges, with a capacity in law. This is where he gets political. Patron of the local UNEF, he campaigned against Nicolas Sarkozy’s law on university autonomy and joined the Socialist Youth Movement. This is the start of a political career.

After a little companionship with Jean-Paul Huchon, the former socialist president of the Île-de-France region, he joined the cabinet of Sylvia Pinel, housing minister in the government of Manuel Valls, then Emmanuelle Cosse (at the same ministerial portfolio). The project of forfeiture of nationality ends up disgusting him with the PS. In 2017, he left to campaign for Emmanuel Macron.

A member of the Poitiers gang

Among the young socialists, in Poitiers, Aurélien Taché crossed paths with Sacha Houlié, Guillaume Chiche, Pierre Person and Stéphane Séjourné. The five buddies will be among the first “walkers”. The first four are elected deputies, Séjourné becomes political advisor to the Head of State before being elected European deputy. Together, they become the famous band of Poitiers, embodying the left wing of Macronie. But the right-handed turn at the start of the five-year term will blow up their group.

In March 2020, Taché and Chiche slammed the door of LRM and founded with a few rebels a small party attached to the majority. Six months later, Pierre Person resigns from his position as number two of LRM – he has since left politics. Only Sacha Houlié (re-elected) and Stéphane Séjourné, who became the boss of the liberal group in the European Parliament, remained loyal to the president.

One of the terrible children of Macronie

The least we can say is that Aurélien Taché’s tenure has not been easy. Throughout the five-year term, he multiplied the controversies, in an astonishing mixture of political calculation and profound awkwardness. Defender of public freedoms and open secularism, he has not stopped fighting against the vision defended by Jean-Michel Blanquer, the Minister of National Education.

One day, the deputy compares the veil of Muslim girls to the “headband” of Catholics. Another, he assures that RN spokesman Julien Odoul “recovers the words of Jean-Michel Blanquer” on the wearing of the veil – the minister had considered that it was not “desirable” during school outings. Finally, he is “astonished” that the state “meddles in polygamy” in its anti-separatism law. Each time, it’s a fire. Each time, he has to adjust his words. But, obviously, the voters did not blame him.