Death of Jean-Marie Le Pen: Edouard Philippe does not beat around the bush, “no sympathy”

This Wednesday, January 8, 2025, Edouard Philippe was questioned about the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, live on France 5.

© France 5This Wednesday, January 8, 2025, Edouard Philippe was questioned about the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, live on France 5.

IN BRIEF

• This Wednesday, December 8, 2024, Edouard Philippe was invited on the set of C à vous
• The opportunity for Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine to question him about the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen
• And it is in a very blunt manner that the former Prime Minister gives his opinion

Since the announcement of the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, which occurred on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, the political class has reacted. If Emmanuel Macron or François Bayrou were keen to pay tribute to the man without forgetting to mention his ideology, for Edouard Philippe, it was live on television that he was questioned about the politician. This Wednesday, January 8, he was invited onto the set of C à vous.

And right away, he makes things clear: “I have never met Jean-Marie Le Pen. I have never adhered to the ideas he professed, I have even fought against them since I have been in politics, and even before I did.”

Edouard Philippe reacts to the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen

However, the mayor of Le Havre totally disapproves of the initiatives of those who celebrated the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen: “I was outraged by these excesses, I have no sympathy, but I am not one of those people who dance on other people's graves. Dancing on someone's grave is not in my nature and I don't understand that”, he declared.

Although Edouard Philippe never met Jean-Marie Le Pen, he did have a long discussion with Marine Le Pen, his daughter, in December 2023. A meeting that was criticized by a certain François Bayrou: “This meeting was criticized by François Bayrou, who said it was a bad signal. He was wrong ?”, then asks Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine.

The former Prime Minister loses his temper

Edouard Philippe then responds very frankly: “That's his opinion. He has the right to think what he thinks, and to say what he thinks. And then I have the right to do what I want, and to meet whoever I want to meet. That's it. And if you think I'm going to change my doctrine or my way of doing things, even because someone thinks it's a bad idea, you're wrong!”, he declared confidently.

Frankly annoyed, the former Prime Minister launched: “Excuse me, but I don't publish a list of people I dine with every day. No, stop it! What ? There's a list of people I'm not allowed to dine with ? You're incredible!”.