60s French Presidential Candidate Embraces 20s Female Aide on Beach... Political Ripple Effects

Political Controversy Over Married Presidential Candidate's Affair Scandal
Involved Zemmour Denies "Invasion of Privacy," Threatens Legal Action

[Image source= Paris Match Twitter]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Eric Zemmour (63), who has recently emerged as a presidential candidate in France, has caused a major stir in French politics after photos of him embracing his unmarried female aide in her 20s on a beach were released.

On the 22nd (local time), the French weekly Paris Match, known for its coverage of right-wing politicians, published on its cover a photo of Zemmour, a former journalist turned French right-wing politician, embracing his female aide Sarah Knafo while swimming together at the beach. Paris Match titled the article "Zemmour and His Very Close Female Aide."

Paris Match introduced the photo of the two embracing as having been taken on the 18th at a beach in southern France. The report suggested that their relationship appears to be more than just that of a presidential candidate and an aide.

The reason their relationship has become a topic of discussion is because Zemmour has emerged as a major candidate in the French presidential election. He is a former editorial writer for the daily Le Figaro and gained popularity as a host of current affairs programs on television. Currently, he is causing a sensation by securing 11% support in major French presidential candidate opinion polls. Previously, in 2014, he gained attention in the right-wing camp by publishing the bestseller "France's Suicide." He has not yet officially declared his candidacy for the presidency.

His female aide, Knafo, is a French citizen of Israeli descent born into a Jewish family. She graduated from Sciences Po Paris and the National School of Administration (?cole nationale d'administration) in 2019, which trains elites for politics and government. Upon graduation, Knafo was appointed as a judicial police magistrate affiliated with the Court of Auditors and has been regarded as an elite bureaucrat holding a high-ranking public official position.

In French political circles, it is analyzed that these photos will likely affect Zemmour's approval ratings, as his core supporters are mainly right-wing conservative voters. Zemmour has three children with his lawyer wife, and Knafo is known to be unmarried, raising the possibility that this could escalate into an extramarital affair scandal.

After the photos were released, Zemmour indicated legal action, calling it an "invasion of privacy." On his Twitter, he wrote, "Paris Match, the lapdog of power, is trying to harm me," and added, "I will not be intimidated."

In response, the editor-in-chief of Paris Match rebutted on a broadcast, saying, "We just did our job." He also explained that they only covered the story because Zemmour is a key figure in the presidential election.