Pierre Maudet legitimized by the people: the elites' deluded momentum

In Geneva, Pierre Maudet came second in the first round of the race for the Council of State. His former party, the Parti libéral-radical (PLR), is suffering as a result. But it's the sanctimonious journalists who should be feeling the pinch today. This situation highlights yet another gap between the media elites and the people.

For much of the media in French-speaking Switzerland, Pierre Maudet was the only one left to believe in himself. Spitting on Maudet, recalling at every turn his trip to Abu-Dahbi - which earned him a conviction on February 22 for accepting an advantage - and his lies, while mocking his perseverance in remaining in politics, had become the height of chic. Just like the praise for short circuits or the support for Black Lives Matter. «Ah that Maudet...» Shooting at an ambulance is bad enough in itself. But let's move on.

And let's not forget the new form of sentencing known as populo-media sentencing, whereby the accused, long before the trial, is already subtly associated with the guilty in the general imagination. «Our readers are begging for more,» say some newspapers when anyone dares to question their famous «investigations» that flirt with the death of the presumption of innocence. It's true that readers want more. Maybe because they've been used to it.

The common enemy as a group condition

That's not where the problem lies. Rather, it lies in that old psychological truth: for a group to form, it needs a common enemy. And so the method, obviously unconscious most of the time, is ready-made for belonging to the category of «good people»: howl with the wolves in the direction of a scapegoat presented as the last of the bastards. Before another is chosen. And pretending that the rest of the world is good.

And so, on March 7, in the first round of the election to the Geneva Council of State, ejected from his own party - the PLR Genevois - and mocked by journalists and other «right-thinking» individuals, Pierre Maudet won 22.8% of the vote, taking second place after the Green Fabienne Fischer. What the elites took to be a foregone conclusion has turned out to be an unforeseen scenario: a population expressing itself against their advice!

The people have therefore democratically legitimized Maudet, considering his actions (already taken or promised), his stature and his vision more important than his narcissistic and judicial erring ways. It tastes like Sarkozy. No one should be surprised. In the second round, however, it seems hard to imagine him getting through, with the PLR having withdrawn as expected and the PDC having invited itself into the race. At the same time, we must bear in mind that Pierre Maudet, now certain to count, is more determined than ever.

Write to the author: jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: Wikimedia CC 4.0

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