Anne Hidalgo’s slip of the tongue which spoils her successor’s campaign launch

All the ingredients were there for a successful campaign launch around Rémi Féraud, the socialist candidate chosen by Anne Hidalgo to succeed her as mayor of Paris in 2026. A battalion of local elected officials made the trip, including several mayors of borough ; journalists flocked to observe the dive into the deep end of the still little-known dolphin; even the sun shone brightly in the autumn sky of the 20th arrondissement of the capital. But that was without counting on a big blunder by the self-proclaimed “queen of slips of the tongue”in addition to her role as first city councilor, Anne Hidalgo.

When offering his hoped-for successor his lucky scarf, «talisman», which apparently brought her luck during her last victorious municipal campaign, the mayor of Paris declared: “Some can gather more than others. This is the case of Emmanuel Grégoire”. The crowd rolls their eyes, divided between hilarity (from the journalists) and tension (from the municipal team). “Uh, I mean Rémi Féraud”the speaker corrects herself with an embarrassed smile. It must be said that Emmanuel Grégoire is none other than the dissident candidate for mayor of Paris, the same one that Anne Hidalgo would like to see renounce in the race in favor of her protégé Rémi Féraud.

“Instrument of revenge”

The mayor preferred to laugh about it. “At least it will get people talking about the event.”she predicted as the photographers took the family photo. Beyond the unfortunate slip of the tongue, the tone used to discuss the candidacy of the former first deputy who became a deputy after a unilateral break this summer with the mayor of Paris was notoriously sympathetic. Anne Hidalgo even spoke directly to him through the few cameras. “Come with us!”she said twice. And to specify: “His place is with us”believing that Rémi Féraud can bring together the left and environmentalists more than Emmanuel Grégoire.

The Paris senator dubbed by the outgoing mayor expressed his “desire for the entire socialist family to be brought together”insisting that behind his candidacy are “the Paris team” and one “collective determination”. Rémi Féraud hammered out the three axes of direction to the press: “continue in ecology, solidarity, democracy”. He clarified that his action would not be part of “not in continuity but in fidelity” to what was done by socialists for a quarter of a century.

Emmanuel Grégoire, for his part, regretted on Wednesday on RTL the choice of the socialist senator to enter the race, accusing him of being “the instrument of Anne Hidalgo’s revenge”.