François Hollande, a former president who became a deputy again

3 min

Seven years after handing over the keys to the Élysée Palace to Emmanuel Macronthe former head of state (2012-2017), aged 69, won 43.10% of the vote, ahead of the far-right candidate and the outgoing right-wing deputy Les Républicains. I will not be a member of parliament like the others, that’s for sure. “, the former President of the Republic concedes to AFP.

Faced with a “ exceptional situation ” – the calling by Emmanuel Macron of early legislative elections and the probability of a majority for the extreme right – he says he has taken a “ exceptional decision »: to regain the sash of deputy in Corrèze (central-west), which he had worn from 1988 to 1993 then from 1997 to 2012.

With his thick silhouette and laughing eyes, we saw him, during the campaign, re-tasting the “pleasure” of a newfound popularity: selfies, handshakes… He seems far from being the most unpopular president of the Fifth Republic (regime in force in France since 1958), which was credited with 4% satisfaction in 2016.

The “normal presidency” with many turmoil

It was at the bottom of the polls that he began his presidential campaign in 2011, before the unthinkable withdrawal of the socialist favourite. Dominique Strauss-Kahncaught up in the scandal at the Sofitel in New York where a cleaning lady accused him of rape. The ex-partner of the former socialist candidate in the 2007 presidential election Ségolène Royal (mother of his four children), was then elected on a promise to break with the right-wing president Nicolas Sarkozy.

François Hollande begins a presidency described as “normal”, far from the “bling-bling” of his predecessor. However, he finds himself on the front page of the celebrity press in 2014, where stolen photos show him discreetly visiting, his face hidden by his scooter helmet, his mistress who has since become his wife, Julie Gayet, an actress, director and producer. François Hollande’s betrayed partner, Valérie Trierweiler, published shortly after Thank you for this momenta vitriolic book revealing his life at the Élysée.

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The rejectionist movements will also poison his five-year term: conservative mobilization against same-sex marriage; social-liberal shift heavily criticized mid-term; controversy over the loss of nationality for dual-national terrorists.

Until he gave up running again in December 2016, after the “betrayal” of his former Minister of the Economy Emmanuel Macron. The latter, determined to shake up the traditional right-left divisions, decided to leave the government and run in the presidential election, which he won in 2017.

“My destiny is fulfilled”

Since then, part of its record has been rehabilitated: controlled budget deficit, refusal in 2015 to deliver Mistral warships to Russia Vladimir Poutine… The wars and attacks having cast a shadow over his mandate, Charlie Hebdo at the Bataclan, also made it gain in gravity. Death inhabits the presidential office ” he imagined.

During this seven-year interlude, he launched a foundation called “La France s’engage”, visited high schools and universities, and wrote several books. Without ever ruling out a return.

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” I have no scores to settle. Not at all. All that is past. “, promises François Hollande. Here he is re-elected to the National Assembly, the first former president to sit there since Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1984. ” I did not come to the National Assembly for any position and my destiny is fulfilled. ” assured François Hollande after his election, specifying that if he was not ” not a candidate “To be Prime Minister, he believed” be useful » in terms of « foreign politic “.

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