Allies of Emmanuel Macron suspect Kremlin behind sex scandal
Charles Bremner, Paris
A Russian activist is expected to be charged today with publishing a sex video that brought down President Macron’s candidate for Paris mayor, as suspicion grows over a possible Kremlin hand in the scandal.
Pyotr Pavlensky, a performance artist with a history of violent stunts in Russia and France, could face up to two years in prison if convicted of breaching privacy laws and “broadcasting images of a sexual nature without the permission of the person involvedâ€.
After two days of questioning, prosecutors handed the case to an investigating judge last night, a step that is likely to bring charges.
Read more at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/french-suspect-russia-linked-to-sex-tape-of-macron-ally-benjamin-griveaux-cn9ddklqf
Emmanuel Macron picks new candidate for Paris mayor after sex video shock
By Ania Nussbaum / Bloomberg
President Emmanuel Macron’s party chose his health minister to run for mayor of Paris after the release of sex videos led its initial pick to withdraw.
The last-minute change — the mayoral election’s first round is on March 15 — is the latest setback for the French president, whose approval rating dropped to a national poll average of 32% in January.
The videos and an alleged text message exchange between Benjamin Griveaux and a woman were published on a website on Wednesday evening. Griveaux, 42, a former spokesman for Macron’s government, withdrew from the race on Friday, saying his family “doesn’t deserve that.â€
La Republique En Marche, Macron’s party, picked Agnes Buzyn on Sunday as its replacement candidate, Agence France-Presse reported. She’s a party heavyweight, has served as a cabinet minister since Macron took office and has been at the center of France’s coronavirus response.
Read more at: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/emmanuel-macron-picks-new-candidate-for-paris-mayor-after-sex-video-shock/ar-BB10488j
Okay, I knew there was a scandal going on... well, I hope they bust whomever is responsible for all of this.
