Macron: I’m too busy to interfere in the Paris mayor race

BRUSSELS — Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said he’s got “more important things” to do than dabble in local politics after the Socialist Party candidate for Paris mayor, Emmanuel Grégoire, accused the French president of making “a pact with the devil” to try to swing the race against him.

In an interview Thursday morning, Grégoire accused Macron of personally intervening to convince the far-right candidate Sarah Knafo, who narrowly qualified for the runoff, to leave the race. Knafo’s decision to abandon her campaign narrowed the runoff field down to two candidates on the left and just one on the right: Rachida Dati, Macron’s former culture minister.

That dynamic will make the race more competitive despite Grégoire’s strong showing in the first round.

“Emmanuel Macron personally intervened … to make sure that the far right withdraws to the profit of his candidate,” Grégoire told France Info, though he did not present any evidence of the allegations.

When asked about the remarks ahead of a meeting of EU leaders, Macron said they “make no sense” and “dishonor the person who made them so bluntly. It’s not serious.”

PARIS LOCAL ELECTION POLL OF POLLS

All 3 Years 2 Years 1 Year 6 Months Smooth Kalman

For more polling data from across Europe visit POLITICO Poll of Polls.

Macron went on to say the discussions being held in Brussels, where heads of government will try to tackle the fallout from the conflict in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine and the EU’s economic agenda, are bigger priorities for him than the campaign to lead the French capital.

“The discussion we are having right now shows that I largely have other things to do,” he said.

“I don’t know Ms. Knafo personally, and I’m not getting involved in these municipal elections at all,” Macron added.

The French leader’s only other public comment this week, criticism of moderate parties who formed alliances with their more radical counterparts, was relayed by the government’s spokesperson.

In the run-up to Sunday’s first round of the Paris mayoral election, Macron’s party backed the center-right candidate Pierre-Yves Bournazel. But officials close to Macron suggested that Dati privately had his support

After the contest was over, Macron called Dati and the head of Bournazel’s party, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, encouraging them to make an alliance in the wake of the latter’s disappointing fourth-place finish.

The duo went on to join forces in a bid to defeat Grégoire in Sunday’s runoff.