LFI denies having offered to pay Jeremstar to call for a vote

POLITICS – Politics of influence. In the midst of the campaign for the early legislative elections, France Insoumise denied this Wednesday, June 19, having contacted the former reality TV blogger Jeremstar, who claims to have been offered 15,000 euros by a political party in exchange for his support. Although he did not reveal the name of the party, France Insoumise took the lead in denying any involvement.

“I was offered 15,000 euros, this is not a joke, to do three stories and a post where I would take a photo, film in the voting booth, what I put in the envelope to encourage (.. .) my community to vote the same », says Jeremstar in a video published in his (ephemeral) Instagram story. He is not the only one to claim to have been contacted within the framework of the legislative elections. On June 12, content creator influencer Maeva Ghennam claimed to have been one too. “They came to ask me to enter politics”she assures, evoking a proposal “very very serious “.

Jeremstar told him about “quite amazing communication strategy”. “We really have the impression that it’s a brand that’s going to offer you product placement, even though it’s a political party. It’s very well-rehearsed, you almost receive a brief from your speech. It’s absolutely lunar”, he describes, recalling that this is not the first time that he has been contacted in this way and by parties of all sides.

“We don’t pay anyone to call to vote for us”

Both declined to give the name of the party or parties in question. But on social networks, the name of France insoumise has often come up. To the point that the movement’s digital campaign director had to deny it. “No, France Insoumise did not contact him, we do not pay anyone to call to vote for us”, writes Bastien Parisot on X (formerly Twitter) by resharing the Jeremstar video. A message that echoes the one he had already shared in response to Maeva Ghennam.

The reality TV candidate with 3.2 million subscribers on Instagram had herself ruled out contact with France Insoumise. “You can imagine that it was not his party or Mélenchon who called me to get into politics. They weren’t the ones who contacted me, but I support them.”she indicated in another video.

Unlike the 27-year-old young woman, Jeremstar said she wanted to stay away from the political sphere where “it doesn’t matter which side […]this environment is full of stink balls.” “For me, it’s dirty money. When we see how politicians finance their campaigns, yes, but what’s more, if I had to receive this money… Quite honestly, I prefer to earn my living [en faisant] sleepless nights editing my videos than getting that money”he tackles.

Jeremstar was indignant alongside the ” pressure “ relies on public figures to “encourage people to vote for this or that party”. “My subscribers don’t need me to tell them who to vote for, everyone does what they want. I don’t have to influence”, he says.

Others do not share this position. In an open letter to his subscribers, Youtuber Squeezie – real name Lucas Hauchard – called not to vote for the far right. “The RN will not help you. So please, go vote on June 30 and July 7, and keep in mind that voting for a party that advocates hatred, discrimination, and fear of others has never been a solution, and never will be”, writes Squeezie for the attention of his 8.7 million subscribers on Instagram. A message then reshared by other content creators.

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