MACRON FACES REVOLT: Party members QUIT 'unelected' president's 'cult of personality’
EMMANUEL Macron is facing a mass revolt from party members who are sick of the “cult of personality” under the French president.
Around 100 in the Republic on the Move (LREM) have announced they are quitting the “undemocratic” party in a huge blow for the young leader.
The centrist activists said that they would officially leave the party at the end of this week, ahead of an LREM congress on Saturday during which government spokesperson Christophe Castaner is to be announced as the party’s new ‘de facto’ leader.
In their inflammatory manifesto – titled “Democracy is not on the Move” – the former Macronists slammed the party’s “lack of ethics, democracy and transparency,” adding that its leaders’ authoritarian management style “offended the fundamental principles of democracy”.
The centrists, who referred to themselves as “democrats,” bitterly deplored the “growing cult of personality being built around Mr Macron”.
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The manifesto read: “The pillars of democracy have crumbled under the weight of LREM’s never-ending marketing campaign – under the #LoveLaTeamMacrons and the #LoveLREMs.”
Activists also denounced Mr Macron’s decision to name Mr Castaner as the party’s new leader.
The government spokesman, who is the only candidate in the party’s leadership race, was officially endorsed by the president last month.
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They said: “The upcoming ‘coronation’ of Mr Castaner – who has faced no competition and has been elected as the new head of the party ahead of time – leaves little hope for activists waiting for democracy.”
Guy Contrastin, one of the activists who penned the anti-LREM manifesto, told the French news channel BFM TV he had grown disillusioned with the party.
Mr Contrastin said: “When I first joined LREM, I yearned for political renewal, for democracy. I had faith in the party, but all my hopes and dreams have since evaporated.
“For me, democracy goes hand in hand with participation. But how can party leaders motivate people they do not involve in decision-making and whom they do not listen to?
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“LREM functions like a cult: the people at the top give out orders that the people at the bottom are expected to execute.”
France’s pro-Macron minister of state, Benjamin Griveaux told BFM TV later last night LREM was “anything but a cult” and denied claims the party was “undemocratic”.
He said: “LREM counts some 386,000 members… And only a handful appear to be opposed to its political message and goals.”
MP Florian Bachelier, a member of LREM told the French daily Le Figaro that it was “healthy” for people to quit if they had grown disillusioned with the party.
