Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Monday announced that she was quitting Elon Musk's social media platform X, (formerly known as Twitter). Describing X as a "gigantic global sewer" and a tool to disrupt democracy, she said she has made the decision to leave the popular social media platform.

<h2>'A weapon of mass destruction'</h2>

In an op-ed in the French newspaper Le Monde Hidalgo wrote, "I've made the decision to leave X".&nbsp;She chalked the decision up to the X's alleged promotion of "misinformation", "antisemitism and racism."

"X has in recent years become a weapon of mass destruction of our democracies,"&nbsp;wrote Hidalgo, as quoted by AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-and-israel-reach-in-principle-agreement-for-use-of-starlink-technology-in-gaza-663381">Musk, Israel authorities agree 'in principle' for use of Starlink technology in Gaza</a>

"The list of abuses is endless,"&nbsp;she said, adding, "this medium has become a gigantic global sewer, and we should continue to wade into it?"

"I refuse to endorse this evil scheme," she stated.

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Why I am leaving Twitter. 
 
I have made the decision to leave Twitter. 
 
Twitter, far from being the groundbreaking medium that initially made information accessible to the greatest possible number of people, has in recent years become an impressive tool for destroying our… <a href="https://t.co/3CcHQVnz5p">pic.twitter.com/3CcHQVnz5p</a>
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Anne_Hidalgo/status/1729079532240384196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In a lengthy post on X, Hidalgo cited "manipulation, disinformation, the fostering of hatred, harassment, anti-Semitism and open racism, or vicious attacks on scientists, climatologists, women, environmentalists, liberals and all those of good will who wish to engage in peaceful political debate in an increasingly complex world."

"This platform and its owner intentionally exacerbates tensions and conflicts," she alleged, adding, "We should not allow the 'engineers of chaos' to seize control of our destinies."

<h2>Mass exodus?</h2>

As per the 64-year-old Socialist, she was "one of the first French women in politics to join this network, which today counts a community of over 1,500,000 subscribers worldwide."

Hidalgo, who unsuccessfully stood for the French presidency in 2022, joined Twitter (as it was known back then) in 2009.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-intentionally-allowed-children-to-hold-accounts-and-get-addicted-lawsuit-alleges-663681">Meta intentionally allowed children to hold accounts and get addicted, lawsuit alleges</a>

Till this surprise exit, the Paris mayor was a frequent user of the platform.

She is not the only high-profile person to quit X. Since Elon Musk took over the platform in 2022, a number of high-profile figures and organisations — including the US public radio network NPR, and the German anti-discrimination agency — have said that they were leaving the popular social platform. However, the exits still remain short of a mass exodus, reports AFP.

Furthermore, several politicians, including Thierry Breton, the EU industry chief, have announced that in addition to their presence on X, they are opening accounts on competing networks.

Even as Hidalgo exits X, the City of Paris account will remain on X, said the mayor's office while talking to AFP.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Monday announced that she was quitting Elon Musk's social media platform X, (formerly known as Twitter). Describing X as a "gigantic global sewer" and a tool to disrupt democracy, she said she has made the decision to leave the popular social media platform.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Monday announced that she was quitting Elon Musk's social media platform X, (formerly known as Twitter). Describing X as a "gigantic global sewer" and a tool to disrupt democracy, she said she has made the decision to leave the popular social media platform. 'A weapon of mass destruction' In an op-ed in the French newspaper Le Monde Hidalgo wrote, "I've made the decision to leave X". She chalked the decision up to the X's alleged promotion of "misinformation", "antisemitism and racism." "X has in recent years become a weapon of mass destruction of our democracies," wrote Hidalgo, as quoted by AFP. Also read | Musk, Israel authorities agree 'in principle' for use of Starlink technology in Gaza "The list of abuses is endless," she said, adding, "this medium has become a gigantic global sewer, and we should continue to wade into it?" "I refuse to endorse this evil scheme," she stated. Why I am leaving Twitter. I have made the decision to leave Twitter. Twitter, far from being the groundbreaking medium that initially made information accessible to the greatest possible number of people, has in recent years become an impressive tool for destroying our… pic.twitter.com/3CcHQVnz5p — Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) November 27, 2023 × In a lengthy post on X, Hidalgo cited "manipulation, disinformation, the fostering of hatred, harassment, anti-Semitism and open racism, or vicious attacks on scientists, climatologists, women, environmentalists, liberals and all those of good will who wish to engage in peaceful political debate in an increasingly complex world." "This platform and its owner intentionally exacerbates tensions and conflicts," she alleged, adding, "We should not allow the 'engineers of chaos' to seize control of our destinies." Mass exodus? As per the 64-year-old Socialist, she was "one of the first French women in politics to join this network, which today counts a community of over 1,500,000 subscribers worldwide." Hidalgo, who unsuccessfully stood for the French presidency in 2022, joined Twitter (as it was known back then) in 2009. Also read | Meta intentionally allowed children to hold accounts and get addicted, lawsuit alleges Till this surprise exit, the Paris mayor was a frequent user of the platform. She is not the only high-profile person to quit X. Since Elon Musk took over the platform in 2022, a number of high-profile figures and organisations — including the US public radio network NPR, and the German anti-discrimination agency — have said that they were leaving the popular social platform. However, the exits still remain short of a mass exodus, reports AFP. Furthermore, several politicians, including Thierry Breton, the EU industry chief, have announced that in addition to their presence on X, they are opening accounts on competing networks. Even as Hidalgo exits X, the City of Paris account will remain on X, said the mayor's office while talking to AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

'Gigantic global sewer': Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo quits X, says 'I refuse to endorse this evil scheme'

The dismal state of the French left before April’s presidential elections was best encapsulated in a series of recent phone calls made by Arnaud Montebourg, a onetime Socialist government minister whose campaign for president has barely registered in the polls.

Montebourg posted several videos on Twitter of him making phone calls to four other left-wing candidates, all of whom are polling just as badly. It was an awkward last-chance bid to urge the Socialists, Greens, Communists and other leftists to unite behind a single presidential ticket or be crushed by the right and far-right in April.

No one picked up.

With the elections approaching, the left — once a mighty force in French politics — is now largely in tatters, and many of its most familiar faces seem incapable of the one thing that both experts and supporters say offers the only possible path to victory: unity.

In a country that is shifting to the right, the left has found itself voiceless on issues like security, immigration and national identity, and it has failed to capitalize on the wave of protests over the environment and social justice that should have provided an opportunity to gain support.

“The left is in a situation of unprecedented ideological fragility,” said Rémi Lefebvre, a professor of political science at the University of Lille. “In this context, being divided means suicide.”

But amid the ineffectual chaos, there is now a push for order.

Bypassing traditional party tactics, the “Primary of the People,” a burgeoning effort led by a group on the left that is exhausted by the parties’ factionalism and fragmentation, will hold a vote in January for supporters to choose a single candidate before the French electorate weighs in as a whole.

Current polls indicate why some on the left are looking for another way. Seven left-wing candidates are currently running for president, and all are polling in the single digits.

Together, the candidates account for what would be about one-quarter of the vote, or about 20 points lower than the French left a decade ago. The chance that any unified candidate from the left would pick up enough votes to reach the next round of the two-part race — to most likely face the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron — seems low.

But the effort to hold a January primary does offer the hope of a path toward a revived sense of relevance for the left. And it could potentially further disrupt a presidential campaign that has already been upended by the entrance of Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right writer and television celebrity, into the race.

“We’re talking about the left again — there’s some new pressure,” said Lefebvre, the political science professor. But he added that it remained unclear whether the momentum behind the primary would be enough to overcome the parties’ deep-rooted divisions.

The French left was long dominated by the Socialist Party and its social-democratic politics, but Macron’s victory in the 2017 presidential elections brought an end to the two-party system in which it had secured a comfortable spot.

The left is now an unruly mix, mainly divided between the Socialists, the Greens and the far-left France Unbowed — not to mention the constellation of small far-left parties that have emerged from the near-collapse of the Communist Party.

The leaders of the primary campaign went to work in January, negotiating for months with most of these parties to work out a common base of 10 proposals for social and climate justice, including an increase in taxes for the wealthy and ending the use of pesticides by 2030.

More than 300,000 people have signed on to the initiative, the equivalent of 40% of all left-wing party members in France. They will vote in January to nominate a candidate and have pledged to campaign on that person’s behalf.

But it will be a long road.

Until recently, left-wing parties had “scorned” the Primary of the People, seeing it as a competing force that could threaten their interests, Lefebvre said.

Samuel Grzybowski, a spokesperson for the effort, said his team had been under pressure from established parties to end the primary process, with some parties even offering to help them win seats in Parliament if they stepped aside from the presidential race.

“It’s long been Baron Noir,” he said, referring to a hit TV series that depicts the shadowy side of France’s political life — a French version of “House of Cards.”

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of France Unbowed, described the calls for unity as too late and “pathetic.” But slowly, the tide has started to turn.

Montebourg’s desperate calls attracted attention, and then Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and the Socialist Party’s candidate, whose support has dropped below 5%, acknowledged that the left was heading for a disaster.

“This fractured left, this left which today drives many of our fellow citizens to despair, must regroup,” she said on France’s most-watched news show early this month. “We must organize a primary,” she added, later voicing her support for the primary effort.

That was followed by a public letter urging parties to agree on a primary, following similar calls from members of various parties.

The movement got another lift when Christiane Taubira, a charismatic former justice minister under François Hollande, France’s Socialist president from 2012 to 2017, announced that she was “considering” running for president and that she would put all of her “strength into the last chances for unity.” The next day, she said the primary effort “seems to be the last space where this unity can be built.”

The move by Taubira is likely to add pressure on candidates who have so far balked at joining left-wing primaries, such as Yannick Jadot of the Greens. Minutes after Taubira’s announcement, Sandrine Rousseau, a leader of the Greens who is also campaigning for Jadot, said a “coalition of the left” was needed.

“The power balance just tilted in our favor,” Grzybowski said.

The appeal for a citizens’ primary has mirrored the growing disenchantment with traditional left-wing parties. Many on the left now regard the parties’ policies on social justice and an equitable economy as outdated. Some still consider the business-friendly policies of Hollande a betrayal.

“It’s no longer the political parties that drive the public debate,” said Hugo Viel, a 23-year-old engineering graduate and a volunteer for the Primary.

“It’s the social movements, the climate marches, #MeToo, the yellow vests,” he added, referring to the numerous protests that have recently upended France, on issues like economic inequality, racism and domestic violence.

But left-wing parties have had difficulty translating those protests into concrete proposals and broader support. They are disconnected from these social movements, have struggled to gain traction outside big cities and slipped into bitter infighting as competing strains of feminism and anti-racism from different generations clashed.

“This left is losing contact with the base,” said Michel Wieviorka, a French sociologist. “It loses the capacity to embody new social and cultural protests, and at the same time, the old unionized worker protests are also slipping through its fingers.”

Where it will all lead is unclear, but a poll taken this month showed that nearly three-quarters of the left-wing electorate now support the principle of a primary, and an average of about 8,000 people have joined the primary effort every day for the past two weeks, Grzybowski said.

Alain Coulombel, a member of the Greens’ leadership who supports the primary, lamented that the left was heading toward the elections without equipping itself with “all the weapons to win.” He estimated that the parties’ agendas converged on nearly 80% of the proposals.

All the French left has to do, he said, is “to put the puzzle together.”

The dismal state of the French left before April’s presidential elections was best encapsulated in a series of recent phone calls made by Arnaud Montebourg, a onetime Socialist government minister whose campaign for president has barely registered in the polls.

The dismal state of the French left before April’s presidential elections was best encapsulated in a series of recent phone calls made by Arnaud Montebourg, a onetime Socialist government minister whose campaign for president has barely registered in the polls. Montebourg posted several videos on Twitter of him making phone calls to four other left-wing candidates, all of whom are polling just as badly. It was an awkward last-chance bid to urge the Socialists, Greens, Communists and other leftists to unite behind a single presidential ticket or be crushed by the right and far-right in April. No one picked up. With the elections approaching, the left — once a mighty force in French politics — is now largely in tatters, and many of its most familiar faces seem incapable of the one thing that both experts and supporters say offers the only possible path to victory: unity. In a country that is shifting to the right, the left has found itself voiceless on issues like security, immigration and national identity, and it has failed to capitalize on the wave of protests over the environment and social justice that should have provided an opportunity to gain support. “The left is in a situation of unprecedented ideological fragility,” said Rémi Lefebvre, a professor of political science at the University of Lille. “In this context, being divided means suicide.” But amid the ineffectual chaos, there is now a push for order. Bypassing traditional party tactics, the “Primary of the People,” a burgeoning effort led by a group on the left that is exhausted by the parties’ factionalism and fragmentation, will hold a vote in January for supporters to choose a single candidate before the French electorate weighs in as a whole. Current polls indicate why some on the left are looking for another way. Seven left-wing candidates are currently running for president, and all are polling in the single digits. Together, the candidates account for what would be about one-quarter of the vote, or about 20 points lower than the French left a decade ago. The chance that any unified candidate from the left would pick up enough votes to reach the next round of the two-part race — to most likely face the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron — seems low. But the effort to hold a January primary does offer the hope of a path toward a revived sense of relevance for the left. And it could potentially further disrupt a presidential campaign that has already been upended by the entrance of Éric Zemmour, a polarizing far-right writer and television celebrity, into the race. “We’re talking about the left again — there’s some new pressure,” said Lefebvre, the political science professor. But he added that it remained unclear whether the momentum behind the primary would be enough to overcome the parties’ deep-rooted divisions. The French left was long dominated by the Socialist Party and its social-democratic politics, but Macron’s victory in the 2017 presidential elections brought an end to the two-party system in which it had secured a comfortable spot. The left is now an unruly mix, mainly divided between the Socialists, the Greens and the far-left France Unbowed — not to mention the constellation of small far-left parties that have emerged from the near-collapse of the Communist Party. The leaders of the primary campaign went to work in January, negotiating for months with most of these parties to work out a common base of 10 proposals for social and climate justice, including an increase in taxes for the wealthy and ending the use of pesticides by 2030. More than 300,000 people have signed on to the initiative, the equivalent of 40% of all left-wing party members in France. They will vote in January to nominate a candidate and have pledged to campaign on that person’s behalf. But it will be a long road. Until recently, left-wing parties had “scorned” the Primary of the People, seeing it as a competing force that could threaten their interests, Lefebvre said. Samuel Grzybowski, a spokesperson for the effort, said his team had been under pressure from established parties to end the primary process, with some parties even offering to help them win seats in Parliament if they stepped aside from the presidential race. “It’s long been Baron Noir,” he said, referring to a hit TV series that depicts the shadowy side of France’s political life — a French version of “House of Cards.” Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of France Unbowed, described the calls for unity as too late and “pathetic.” But slowly, the tide has started to turn. Montebourg’s desperate calls attracted attention, and then Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and the Socialist Party’s candidate, whose support has dropped below 5%, acknowledged that the left was heading for a disaster. “This fractured left, this left which today drives many of our fellow citizens to despair, must regroup,” she said on France’s most-watched news show early this month. “We must organize a primary,” she added, later voicing her support for the primary effort. That was followed by a public letter urging parties to agree on a primary, following similar calls from members of various parties. The movement got another lift when Christiane Taubira, a charismatic former justice minister under François Hollande, France’s Socialist president from 2012 to 2017, announced that she was “considering” running for president and that she would put all of her “strength into the last chances for unity.” The next day, she said the primary effort “seems to be the last space where this unity can be built.” The move by Taubira is likely to add pressure on candidates who have so far balked at joining left-wing primaries, such as Yannick Jadot of the Greens. Minutes after Taubira’s announcement, Sandrine Rousseau, a leader of the Greens who is also campaigning for Jadot, said a “coalition of the left” was needed. “The power balance just tilted in our favor,” Grzybowski said. The appeal for a citizens’ primary has mirrored the growing disenchantment with traditional left-wing parties. Many on the left now regard the parties’ policies on social justice and an equitable economy as outdated. Some still consider the business-friendly policies of Hollande a betrayal. “It’s no longer the political parties that drive the public debate,” said Hugo Viel, a 23-year-old engineering graduate and a volunteer for the Primary. “It’s the social movements, the climate marches, #MeToo, the yellow vests,” he added, referring to the numerous protests that have recently upended France, on issues like economic inequality, racism and domestic violence. But left-wing parties have had difficulty translating those protests into concrete proposals and broader support. They are disconnected from these social movements, have struggled to gain traction outside big cities and slipped into bitter infighting as competing strains of feminism and anti-racism from different generations clashed. “This left is losing contact with the base,” said Michel Wieviorka, a French sociologist. “It loses the capacity to embody new social and cultural protests, and at the same time, the old unionized worker protests are also slipping through its fingers.” Where it will all lead is unclear, but a poll taken this month showed that nearly three-quarters of the left-wing electorate now support the principle of a primary, and an average of about 8,000 people have joined the primary effort every day for the past two weeks, Grzybowski said. Alain Coulombel, a member of the Greens’ leadership who supports the primary, lamented that the left was heading toward the elections without equipping itself with “all the weapons to win.” He estimated that the parties’ agendas converged on nearly 80% of the proposals. All the French left has to do, he said, is “to put the puzzle together.”

A movement to unify the French left might be its last chance for the elections

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and her environmentalist took part in a cycling demonstration one week before the second round of the municipal election. Watch report.

2020 Paris municipal election: Paris Mayor pledges green city

Benjamin Griveaux, a close lieutenant of French President Emmanuel Macron recently pulled out of the race to become mayor of Paris after he was reported to have sent sexual images to a woman who is not his wife.

Griveaux has been subjected to months of anonymous statements defaming him and threats to disclose private conversations stolen from him becoming a routine fiasco for Griveaux and his family.

The defamation and trolling crossed another boundary recently as websites and social networks were found to be carrying ignoble attacks about Griveaux's private life. Pyotr Pavlensky, a Russian artist, also published multiple screenshots of an online chat which he said was between Griveaux and a woman who is not his wife.

A man's genitals were allegedly included in a video and Griveaux is yet to challenge the fact that he has sent the messages. The 42-year-old former investment banker was a part of a clique called "Macron boys" which allegedly helped propel him to the Elysee Palace.

His first role was that of an advisor to the former head of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn who, in 2011, was charged with sexual assault on a maid in a New York hotel. Strauss-Kahn said the sex was consensual and the prosecution dropped all charges.

Macron's bid to control the French capital revolved around Griveaux as his position as Mayor of Paris necessary to build a local power base for his party in mayoral elections next month.

Opinion polls showed him in third place, which indicated that his mayoral bid was already struggling. His LREM party had chosen Griveaux to represent it in the Paris mayoral campaign over Cedric Villani, an eccentric mathematician and officials from Macron's party were planning to meet and decide what to do.

Whether the party would now rally behind Villani, the rebel lawmaker who was expelled from the LREM last month or field another candidate was very unclear and Griveaux exacerbated matters by alienating many within his camp after his selection by referring to party rivals as "arseholes" among other insults in a leaked conversation with journalists.

Griveaux was supported by both the Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo as well as the rival Villani, who defended his right to privacy. The leak of private material was denounced in unison by French politicians from all camps. Many have said that it constituted an unacceptable Americanisation of politics in France, where politicians' private lives have long been considered off-limits.

The publisher of the video, Pavlensky, is renowned for extreme performance art, such as allegedly nailing his scrotum to the ground in Moscow's Red Square and setting fire to a door at the headquarters of Russia's state security agency.

Benjamin Griveaux, a close lieutenant of French President Emmanuel Macron recently pulled out of the race to become mayor of Paris after he was reported to have sent sexual images to a woman who is not his wife.

Benjamin Griveaux, a close lieutenant of French President Emmanuel Macron recently pulled out of the race to become mayor of Paris after he was reported to have sent sexual images to a woman who is not his wife. Griveaux has been subjected to months of anonymous statements defaming him and threats to disclose private conversations stolen from him becoming a routine fiasco for Griveaux and his family. The defamation and trolling crossed another boundary recently as websites and social networks were found to be carrying ignoble attacks about Griveaux's private life. Pyotr Pavlensky, a Russian artist, also published multiple screenshots of an online chat which he said was between Griveaux and a woman who is not his wife. A man's genitals were allegedly included in a video and Griveaux is yet to challenge the fact that he has sent the messages. The 42-year-old former investment banker was a part of a clique called "Macron boys" which allegedly helped propel him to the Elysee Palace. His first role was that of an advisor to the former head of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn who, in 2011, was charged with sexual assault on a maid in a New York hotel. Strauss-Kahn said the sex was consensual and the prosecution dropped all charges. Macron's bid to control the French capital revolved around Griveaux as his position as Mayor of Paris necessary to build a local power base for his party in mayoral elections next month. Opinion polls showed him in third place, which indicated that his mayoral bid was already struggling. His LREM party had chosen Griveaux to represent it in the Paris mayoral campaign over Cedric Villani, an eccentric mathematician and officials from Macron's party were planning to meet and decide what to do. Whether the party would now rally behind Villani, the rebel lawmaker who was expelled from the LREM last month or field another candidate was very unclear and Griveaux exacerbated matters by alienating many within his camp after his selection by referring to party rivals as "arseholes" among other insults in a leaked conversation with journalists. Griveaux was supported by both the Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo as well as the rival Villani, who defended his right to privacy. The leak of private material was denounced in unison by French politicians from all camps. Many have said that it constituted an unacceptable Americanisation of politics in France, where politicians' private lives have long been considered off-limits. The publisher of the video, Pavlensky, is renowned for extreme performance art, such as allegedly nailing his scrotum to the ground in Moscow's Red Square and setting fire to a door at the headquarters of Russia's state security agency.

Emmanuel Macron's lieutenant Benjamin Griveaux out of Paris Mayoral race for sexting

French police held a Russian activist and his girlfriend for interrogation after the former claimed he released sex videos that brought down President Emmanuel Macron's favoured candidate for Paris mayor.

The artist was arrested on Saturday in connection with a fight at a New Year's party.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emmanuel-macrons-lieutenant-benjamin-griveaux-out-of-paris-mayoral-race-for-sexting-280720">Emmanuel Macron's lieutenant Benjamin Griveaux out of Paris Mayoral race for sexting</a>

Pyotr Pavlensky, who received asylum in France in 2017 after his radical protests in Russia, leaked screenshots of an online chat in which centrist ruling party's Benjamin Griveaux was allegedly sexting a woman. Pavlensky also said that the woman was not Griveaux's wife.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Pavlensky's French girlfriend, Alexandra de Taddeo, believed to be the recipient of the videos sent in 2018.

Police, on Sunday, however, turned their attention to the video released this week online that showed a man masturbating, and racy messages sent to a woman.

The videos led to Griveaux abruptly calling off his campaign, a first in France, where politicians in the past tried to brush off sex scandals as private matters.

French politicians, cutting across party lines, also denounced the leak of the videos, which many believe is an unacceptable Americanisation of politics in France. French media has also criticized the act.

"Everyone has the right to their secret garden," the speaker of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, told the Journal du Dimanche weekly.

Taddeo has also been arrested on the grounds of invasion of privacy and publishing sexual content without consent.

On Friday, Pavlensky said that he leaked the video in order to expose the "hypocrisy" of 42-year-old Griveaux and intended to post similar videos to expose the newly created "political porn platform".

Griveaux "is someone who constantly brings up family values, who says he wants to be the mayor of families and always cites his wife and children as an example. But he is doing the opposite," Pavlensky had said.

After Griveaux's pull out, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn run from Macron's party for the post of mayor.

(with inputs of AFP and Reuters)

&nbsp;

French police held a Russian activist and his girlfriend for interrogation after the former claimed he released sex videos that brought down President Emmanuel Macron's favoured candidate for Paris mayor.

French police held a Russian activist and his girlfriend for interrogation after the former claimed he released sex videos that brought down President Emmanuel Macron's favoured candidate for Paris mayor. The artist was arrested on Saturday in connection with a fight at a New Year's party. Also read: Emmanuel Macron's lieutenant Benjamin Griveaux out of Paris Mayoral race for sexting Pyotr Pavlensky, who received asylum in France in 2017 after his radical protests in Russia, leaked screenshots of an online chat in which centrist ruling party's Benjamin Griveaux was allegedly sexting a woman. Pavlensky also said that the woman was not Griveaux's wife. Pavlensky's French girlfriend, Alexandra de Taddeo, believed to be the recipient of the videos sent in 2018. Police, on Sunday, however, turned their attention to the video released this week online that showed a man masturbating, and racy messages sent to a woman. The videos led to Griveaux abruptly calling off his campaign, a first in France, where politicians in the past tried to brush off sex scandals as private matters. French politicians, cutting across party lines, also denounced the leak of the videos, which many believe is an unacceptable Americanisation of politics in France. French media has also criticized the act. "Everyone has the right to their secret garden," the speaker of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, told the Journal du Dimanche weekly. Taddeo has also been arrested on the grounds of invasion of privacy and publishing sexual content without consent. On Friday, Pavlensky said that he leaked the video in order to expose the "hypocrisy" of 42-year-old Griveaux and intended to post similar videos to expose the newly created "political porn platform". Griveaux "is someone who constantly brings up family values, who says he wants to be the mayor of families and always cites his wife and children as an example. But he is doing the opposite," Pavlensky had said. After Griveaux's pull out, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn run from Macron's party for the post of mayor. (with inputs of AFP and Reuters)

Russian activist, girlfriend held after leaked sex videos that ended Macron ally's campaign

A Malian immigrant who scaled the facade of a four-storey building in Paris to save a child hanging from a ledge, met President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.

Mamoudou Gassama met Macron inside the French presidential palace where the two had a quick conversation. He received a certificate of bravery and a medal after meeting the French President.

After the meeting, Macron announced Gassama would get French citizenship.

The video of Gassama's quick climbing to reach the child, cheered on by terrified onlookers, went viral on social media, with people calling the 22-year-old a real 'spiderman'. Gassama pulled himself from balcony to balcony to save the four-year-old.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had on Sunday praised the heroism of Gassama, saying the city will support his effort to settle in France.

"Congratulations to Mamoudou Gassama for his act of bravery that saved the life of a child," Hidalgo said on her official Twitter account, adding that she spoke with him by phone to thank him.

Hidalgo said Gassama told her that he arrived from Mali a few months ago and wished to stay in France.

"I replied that his heroic gesture was an example for all citizens and that the City of Paris will obviously be keen to support him in his efforts to settle in France," Hidalgo said.

French minister and former government spokesman Christophe Castaner also took to Twitter to say how admirable it was that Gassama stepped forward to save a life without giving any thought for his own.

Le Parisien newspaper reported that Gassama was walking by when he saw a gathering in front of the building and leapt into action.

"I did it because it was a child," the paper quoted him saying. "I climbed... Thank God I saved him."

The video of Gassama's quick climbing to reach the child, cheered on by terrified onlookers, went viral on social media.

A Malian immigrant who scaled the facade of a four-storey building in Paris to save a child hanging from a ledge, met President Emmanuel Macron on Monday. Mamoudou Gassama met Macron inside the French presidential palace where the two had a quick conversation. He received a certificate of bravery and a medal after meeting the French President. After the meeting, Macron announced Gassama would get French citizenship. The video of Gassama's quick climbing to reach the child, cheered on by terrified onlookers, went viral on social media, with people calling the 22-year-old a real 'spiderman'. Gassama pulled himself from balcony to balcony to save the four-year-old. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had on Sunday praised the heroism of Gassama, saying the city will support his effort to settle in France. "Congratulations to Mamoudou Gassama for his act of bravery that saved the life of a child," Hidalgo said on her official Twitter account, adding that she spoke with him by phone to thank him. Hidalgo said Gassama told her that he arrived from Mali a few months ago and wished to stay in France. "I replied that his heroic gesture was an example for all citizens and that the City of Paris will obviously be keen to support him in his efforts to settle in France," Hidalgo said. French minister and former government spokesman Christophe Castaner also took to Twitter to say how admirable it was that Gassama stepped forward to save a life without giving any thought for his own. Le Parisien newspaper reported that Gassama was walking by when he saw a gathering in front of the building and leapt into action. "I did it because it was a child," the paper quoted him saying. "I climbed... Thank God I saved him."

'Spiderman' migrant who scaled building to save toddler gets French citizenship

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