The wave of indignation and the flood of criticism will have been too strong to maintain the candidacy of Jérôme Peyrat in the 4th district of Dordogne. Invested by Together!, despite his conviction in September 2020 for domestic violence against his then partner by the Angoulême criminal court, Jérôme Peyrat finally gave up, Wednesday, May 18, to present himself. “I hear that my candidacy for the legislative elections could harm my political family. I withdraw it,” he told Agence France-Presse. “I invite each and everyone to look precisely at the facts of which I am accused, the court decision and the other decisions taken in this case”, developed the one who has been mayor of La Roque-Gageac since 1995.
“The alliance of bad faith, partisan shortcuts and good conscience has little cost, amplified by digital channels where anonymity competes with the ignorance of second-hand prosecutors, brings together an episode of my life on which I amply explained myself, with a violence that is totally foreign to me, ”added the chosen one.
At the same time, Stanislas Guerini, the general delegate of La République en Marche (LRM), posted explanations and apologies on Twitter after defending the now former candidate at the microphone of Franceinfo in the morning. “To leave no room for ambiguity about our commitments, I spoke with Jérôme Peyrat today, and we agreed that he withdraw his candidacy,” he said.
Stanislas Guerini’s apologies and opposition attacks
In the morning, Mr. Guerini maintained that Jérôme Peyrat retained his confidence, despite his conviction. “I took the time to read the recitals, to understand, to know if, basically, we could be dealing with someone who could be capable of voluntary violence, he argued. I believe, and I am even infinitely convinced of it, that this is not the case, otherwise never, never would I have allowed this investiture. (…) He is an honest man, I do not believe him capable of violence against women, ”he added in a form of kiss of death.
“I measure that the remarks I made this morning on Franceinfo, in response to a question about the nomination of one of our candidates for the legislative elections, could hurt and hurt”, recognized in the middle of the post- noon Mr. Guerini, who affirms that he “in no way calls into question a court decision, which carries out independent work”.
The opposition had reacted strongly throughout the day to the interview with the framework of the presidential majority. “Where we learn that LREM does not care about justice. Withdraw this candidacy, ”urged Julien Bayou, the national secretary of Europe Ecologie-Les Verts. “Justice has yet condemned Jérôme Peyrat, this “honest man”, for domestic violence, his ex-wife having had 14 days of ITT. And LREM invested it…”, was indignant Clémentine Autain, deputy of La France insoumise in Seine-Saint-Denis and candidate of the New Popular Ecological and Social Union for her re-election.
“At LREM, it is now the leader of the party who clears the buddies convicted by the justice… Shame on you Stanislas Guerini and your masquerade “great cause” of the quinquennium. Convicts of violence against women have no place in the Assembly! “, had denounced for her part Gabrielle Siry-Houari, the spokeswoman of the Socialist Party.
A candidacy poorly perceived locally
Adviser to Emmanuel Macron in 2019, Jérôme Peyrat resigned from his post in January 2020 following the opening of a preliminary investigation into this case. In addition to his final conviction, his investiture to the detriment of Jacqueline Dubois, outgoing LRM deputy, had tensed local activists.
In a press release published on May 15, they explained that they had learned “with amazement of the nomination awarded” by their party and had “not been contacted by the candidate” since. They also accuse him of having been a candidate for the 2017 legislative elections with the nomination of the Republicans.
“We have lost a good candidate for the 4th, a real elected official who had a real knowledge of the files”, deplores, for his part, Maxime Bournazel, spokesperson for Jérôme Peyrat and referent Horizons in the 4th district of the Dordogne . Asked by Le Monde, this close friend of Mr. Peyrat said he “understood his decision” to give up his candidacy. “He had two options: either debate and justify himself on national media TV shows and social media for several more days, and that would have hurt the grassroots campaign he wanted,” or give up being candidate. “He wanted to protect his family,” says the Horizons referent.
For Mr. Bournazel, the conviction of Jérôme Peyrat “was blown up by a few activists close to Jacqueline Dubois”, the outgoing deputy, who announced this morning her desire to stand for the legislative elections of June 12 and 19, without label but supporting Emmanuel Macron. “The outgoing had a lot of difficulty on many issues, I hope she will not be invested,” adds Jérôme Peyrat’s spokesperson.
Sébastien Peytavie, candidate for the New Popular, Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) in the 4th constituency of the Dordogne, judged that, “given the media surge, it was becoming complicated to maintain Mr. Peyrat”. “His candidacy was no longer tenable,” said the Génération s activist invested by Nupes. He is betting on the fact that Jacqueline Dubois will inherit the nomination of the presidential majority now that Mr. Peyrat has given up. “Ms. Dubois, after being disavowed, will be rehabilitated. It is not very respectful of these candidates and of the citizens,” Mr. Peytavie thinks.
