“Like when I was at Matignon”: Édouard Philippe announces that he will not live at the Élysée if he is elected in 2027

An original way to embody the break with Emmanuel Macron. Where the President of the Republic has occupied the walls of the Élysée for nearly nine and a half years to work and stay there, one of the contenders to his succession does not intend to follow in his footsteps. Guest of “L'Heure de Vérité”, the new political format of France 2 launched Thursday evening on the eve of the presidential campaign, Édouard Philippe announced that he did not intend to “live” at the Palace if he was elected. Even less moving there as a “family”.

“Like when I was in Matignon,” he specified, in reference to the period 2017-2020, shared between rue de Varenne and Le Havre (Seine-Maritime), the city where he lives and of which he became mayor again six years ago, after temporarily giving up control. “I was returning home because that’s where we have our recall forces,” said the boss of Horizons, ensuring not to criticize the presidents who chose to reside there, such as François Hollande or Jacques Chirac.

Also read Presidential Election 2027: Édouard Philippe, a campaign constantly shaken up by current events

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At the risk of making those close to Édouard Philippe invisible, starting with his wife Édith? “When you are president, the spouse is obviously part of these operations, but I prefer that my children are not exposed to political life,” judged the Norman, insisting in this regard: “I have never, in quotes, presented or used them. And I can see it continuing.” A position that is all the more consensual as it is, according to him, “shared” by “almost all the presidential candidates.”