The candidate for the social-democratic primary, Raphaël Glucksmann, criticized his opponent Ségolène Royal on Monday, September 21st, who called him a "trainee," claiming that he has not "begged for positions for forty-five years."
Returning the favor, the head of Place publique did not mince his words on Franceinfo against the former presidential candidate of 2007, who criticized his "ignorance of the people," believing that electing him as president would mean putting a "trainee in charge of a company."
"She is right to point out that I have not been in politics for forty-five years. That I have not begged for positions for forty-five years, that I have not begged for positions, me, from Emmanuel Macron to be a minister or end up as ambassador," the candidate stated. An allusion to Ms. Royal's appointment as ambassador for the Arctic and Antarctic regions (2017-2020). Or to the letter sent by Ms. Royal to announce her availability for the position of prime minister after Michel Barnier.
A Socialist Party (PS) candidate in the 2007 presidential election, who was defeated in the second round by Nicolas Sarkozy, Ségolène Royal participated in this primary against Raphaël Glucksmann, the PS first secretary, Olivier Faure, the deputy (Essonne, PS) Jérôme Guedj, and the national anchor of the small Left Republican and Socialist party, Emmanuel Maurel.
Asked what distinguished her from Mr. Glucksmann, Ms. Royal argued in an interview with Libération on Sunday her "experience." "A socialist woman, I have proven myself in the difficult exercise of local, national, and international democratic leadership," she assured.
As for Mr. Glucksmann, "you are not putting a trainee in charge of a company. It is dangerous. The French want experienced leaders who have positive balances. They do not want to start over as with Macron and his ignorance of the people and the deep country, which have led us to so much brutality, so much contempt and decline," Ms. Royal added.
"It's not on the same level"
"If I got involved in politics, it is precisely to put an end to these methods, to put an end to these twelve-band billiards," Raphaël Glucksmann replied on Monday, believing that the former socialist minister was just going through the motions in this primary. He predicted that she "absolutely will not win this primary," without saying whether he would support her in his campaign if the case were otherwise.
"It's not on the same level," he insisted again, regretting being the "first target" of the candidate "at a time when France is going through such a crisis, when there is the explosion of fuel prices, when there are security threats to our country, when the far right (...) is at the door of power."
In a statement published Monday morning, the primary organizing committee reminded Ségolène Royal "firmly" of "the commitment she signed to a charter that imposes on her ethical behavior and forbids personal attacks." "The committee reminds that the nature of the political debate in the primary is not the same as in the debate against the right and the far right," especially because "the winner must benefit from the gathering of all participants."