After a wave of criticism from the political class, LREM deputy Jérôme Peyrat, sentenced in 2020 for violence against an ex-companion, announced to Agence France-Presse on Wednesday to withdraw his candidacy for the legislative elections.

“I understand that my candidacy for the legislative elections could harm my political family. I withdraw it, “said the ex-candidate in the 4th constituency of Dordogne. “I invite each and everyone to look precisely at the facts of which I am accused, the court decision and the other decisions taken in this case”, he underlines. Jérôme Peyrat was sentenced in September 2020 to a suspended fine of 3,000 euros in a case of violence against an ex-companion, causing 14 days of ITT. According to France Bleu, his ex-girlfriend had meanwhile been fined 500 and 800 euros for malicious calls and SMS to Jérôme Peyrat and relatives.

“The alliance of bad faith, partisan shortcuts and good conscience has little cost, amplified by digital channels where anonymity competes with the ignorance of second-hand prosecutors, brings together an episode of my life on which I explained myself to a great extent, with a violence that is totally foreign to me, “says this former adviser to the Elysée in his press release. His investiture had caused shocks even in the majority with the dissident candidacy of the outgoing LREM deputy Jacqueline Dubois.

It also earned controversy from the LREM general delegate Stanislas Guerini for remarks made on France Info on Wednesday morning. The LREM manager described Jérôme Peyrat as “an honest man. I don’t believe he is capable of violence against women,” he said, “If I had the conviction or even the suspicion that we were dealing with someone who could be violent and guilty of violence against women, I would never have accepted that investiture. “Words that made the opposition jump, in particular the LFI Mathilde Panot, who denounced a “shame” and a “shipwreck”.

“I measure that the comments I made this morning […] could have offended and hurt”, reacted in the afternoon Stanislas Guerini on Twitter. “I want to strongly reaffirm here the total commitment of the presidential majority to support the liberation of women’s speech. “To leave no room for ambiguity about our commitments, I spoke with Jérôme Peyrat today, and we agreed together that he withdraw his candidacy,” concludes Stanislas Guerini.

In the wake of the MeToo movement, accusations of violence against women have arisen in an unprecedented way in the campaign for the June legislative elections: in addition to the withdrawal of Taha Bouhafs from LFI, several candidates are under fire from critics.

pic.twitter.com/97LID1Ps3T

More information to come on Le Point…