VIDEO. “You don’t pick my pockets”, when Prime Minister François Bayrou slapped an 11-year-old child

François Bayrou was appointed Prime Minister this Friday, December 13. On April 9, 2002, then UDF candidate in the presidential election, the head of MoDem, went to Strasbourg to talk about insecurity. During a visit to the Meinau district, during a discussion with young people, the candidate slapped a child who was trying to “pick his pockets”.

After several hours of uncertainty, the information came this Friday, December 13 a little after noon, François Bayrou is the new Prime Minister of the French government. The name of the man who has held almost every position at the highest level, except the most prestigious, was buzzing in the media corridors.

It was also during a presidential campaign, that of 2002, that the current president of MoDem created a buzz during a trip to Strasbourg. On April 9, the man who was then a candidate for the UDF stopped off in the Alsatian capital to talk about insecurity.

François Bayrou notably went to the Meinau district and while he was in the neighborhood center in the company of Fabienne Keller, mayor of Strasbourg at the time, and Robert Grossmann, president of the urban community, a jet of stones breaks one of the windows of the building.

The centrist candidate then decides to go meet the young people who had gathered at the foot of the building. The tone rises, François Bayrou does not give up and begins a dialogue with young people who are half protesting, half amused, and perhaps a little impressed. This is the moment that a young 11-year-old boy chooses to play pickpocket. The politician reacts instinctively and slaps the young boy, “you’re not picking my pockets!”

Before continuing the discussion. The incident did not go any further, but caused a lot of noise in the regional and national press.

Tags Strasbourg France