Imprisoned, the Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny called to vote for Emmanuel Macron.
Broad support, from Russian jails. On Wednesday, the Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny gave his opinion on the second round of the French presidential election: “I realize the irony of the situation: a Russian political prisoner addresses French voters. But technically, I am in prison because of a complaint filed by a French company”, he began, referring to the complaint against X filed more than ten years ago by the Russian subsidiary of Yves Rocher, which led to his suspended prison sentence and six years probation which Russian justice found he had violated when he traveled to Germany for treatment after his poisoning, leading to his imprisonment on his return in Russia in January 2021. “I studied the [français] at university, and when I come to Paris, I wear a scarf in all weathers. So this country is close to me, and I will try,” he continued. Navalny, recently sentenced to nine years in prison for embezzlement and contempt of court – charges he claims politically motivated by the Kremlin – called “without hesitation” to vote for Emmanuel Macron.
2/18 I studied at university, and when I come to Paris, I wear a scarf in all weathers. So this country is close to me, and I will try.
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) April 20, 2022
The Russian loan from the RN, “a sale of political influence to Putin”
But above all, the Russian opponent addressed voters who would be tempted to vote for Marine Le Pen: “I spent many years creating an anti-Putin political coalition made up not only of liberals, but also of conservatives from right who saw precisely [Marine Le Pen] as an example to follow. […] I was shocked to learn that [le parti de Marine Le Pen] obtained a loan of 9 million euros from the FRCB bank. Believe me, this is not just a “dodgy business”. This bank is a well-known money laundering agency that was created at the instigation of Putin. Would you like it if a French politician got a loan from Cosa Nostra? Well, that’s the same. I have no doubt that their negotiations with these people and their dealings with them involve a secret political agreement. It is bribery. And this is a sale of political influence to Putin.”
Interview: “In Russia, corruption is established at the top of the state”
After these tweets evoking corruption, Alexeï Navalny evoked “sympathy for Putin’s ‘conservatism'” on the part of the European right, which “leaves him perplexed”: “Putin and his political elite are completely immoral, they despise the family values: having a second and even a third family, lovers and yachts is the norm for them. They are hypocrites. Just recently they were jailing people for the Bible, and now they’re crossing themselves into churches. They hate the middle class and treat workers with contempt. In Russia, those who work are very poor. Putin has implemented a completely insane migration policy in which the free entry of Central Asian migrants coincides with the transformation of these migrants into disenfranchised slaves. Finally, Putin has created and he supports and benefits from a real terrorist state in Chechnya where killings, kidnappings and intimidation have become the norm.”
Narrative : Alexei Navalny, Putin’s prisoner
“Elections are always difficult. But it is absolutely necessary to go there, at least to vote against. On April 24, I will not be able to put on a scarf as a sign of solidarity with the French. It constitutes a “violation of the dress code” here, they can even put me in a punishment cell. But I will still support France, the French and Emmanuel Macron”, he concluded, adding a heart and a French flag.
17/18On April 24, I won’t be able to put on a scarf as a sign of solidarity with the French. It constitutes a “violation of the dress code” here, they can even put me in a punishment cell. But I will still support France, the French and @EmmanuelMacron ❤️
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) April 20, 2022