In the grand match of the Presidential election, Arnaud Montebourg, one of Ségolène Royal’s spokespersons, has been temporarily excluded from the Socialist campaign for having dared to make remarks, albeit humorous, about François Hollande.
“Ségolène Royal has only one flaw, it’s her partner” – a phrase that would have carried significant weight had it been said on a “serious” political show, but it was actually said on the set of Le Grand Journal on Canal +. Not that Michel Denisot’s program isn’t serious, but irony and humor are still very much present there.
“It was a joke”: Even Montebourg’s clarification wasn’t enough to prevent his temporary sidelining. For François Hollande, “The incident is closed and everyone must get back to work,” except that the word will be carried by others and a resignation would have been submitted by Arnaud Montebourg. So, this is a situation to follow at the rose party.
In response to this suspension, Nice Premium spoke with Dominique Boy Mottard, a General Councilor of the Socialist Party in the Alpes-Maritimes, who reflected on this quip that did not amuse everyone.
Nice Premium: What do you think of Montebourg’s suspension?
Dominique Boy Mottard: The sanction seems to be a halfway measure. Either Arnaud Montebourg did, as he claims, make a small humorous provocation, and there’s no reason why he should be publicly sanctioned (even if one may not appreciate this type of humor), or his remarks reveal a deeper malaise between the candidate and the Party, which would require a political rather than a punitive response.
NP: What would you have done if you were Ségolène Royal?
DBM: In the first scenario, which I favor, I would have done nothing publicly and it would all probably have been forgotten in a few hours.
NP: Arnaud Montebourg is said to have offered his resignation. What is your opinion on this?
DBM: I think they should have discussed all this privately, among the three of them. It’s better to avoid media psychodramas.
NP: Finally, do you consider this incident a mishap in Ségolène Royal’s campaign?
DBM: This incident is all the more regrettable as the public opinion juxtaposes it with the leniency shown towards Georges Frêche.
The campaign is going to be long. Ségolène Royal might consider bolstering her team with experienced people (although the past has shown that no one is immune to making such blunders). Everything will get better when the entourages show a bit more… serenity!
