The Éric Zemmour Factor

François Valentin and Jorge González-Gallarza | 22nd October 2021 | Uncategorised

The right-wing 'intellectuel' is fast becoming Emmanuel Macron’s worst nightmare

At this stage of France’s presidential campaign, the last man to doubt whether Éric Zemmour will be in the running come May 2022 may be... the man himself. Currently on tour promoting his latest book—loosely translated as France Has Not Yet Said Its Last Word (La France n’a pas dit son dernier mot)—the right-wing intellectual’s public appearances across the hexagon are quickly morphing into campaign rallies. Whilst he keeps answering the media’s queries in non-committal terms, a team of campaign staffers has been hired. This includes his longtime chief of staff, the énarque Sarah Knafo, having taken leave from her appointment to the Court of Auditors. A headquarters has been rented in central Paris. The die is cast Although he may not publicly announce his bid until late November, the country’s TV and radio regulating authority, the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA), recently ruled to limit Zemmour’s airtime on the grounds that his run is now a foregone conclusion. Zemmour has e...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.

We need to talk about Kemi

Mace | October 5, 2026

In contrast to last year's Tory conference, Kemi Badenoch is coming out guns blazing, not the least when it comes to defence, says Flora Watkins

Markus Leutert, Corporate Affairs, PerkinElmer – “Focus on outcomes, rather than outputs”

Mace | September 29, 2026

Leutert's career has included moments close to politics, including time as a speechwriter, but he concluded that he can have more impact behind the scenes.

Leader in UK Public Affairs: Dr Michelle Howard, Senior Advisor for Defence and Space, Lexington Communications: “The future of public affairs is full of promise for the creative”

Mace | September 16, 2026

Lexington’s Michelle Howard explains how an unconventional career spanning opera, journalism, hydropower and defence led her into public affairs, why political instability rewards creativity and listening, and what