Lucie Castets comes out: Nathalie Loiseau's controversial reaction agitates the left
In August 2024, revealing one's homosexuality in France remains an act which can still provoke strong reactions. Lucie Castets, candidate of the New Popular Front for the post of Prime Minister, had the bitter experience of revealing in Paris Match her marriage to a woman. This revelation triggered a wave of homophobia on social networks, where some users did not hesitate to be ironic or mock.
However, the criticism was not limited to anonymous people online. Nathalie Loiseau, MEP and former head of the Macronist list in the 2019 elections, sparked controversy with a tweet where she regretted the disappearance of “discretion” in politics. “For me, politics involved self-discretion, serving others and getting elected. But that was before. I must be very, very old school,” she said. A remark which was immediately criticized by the environmentalist MP Sandrine Rousseau, who responded by questioning: “Or homophobic? ".
The reactions on the left were quick. Ian Brossat, communist senator, denounced the hypocrisy of Nathalie Loiseau, emphasizing that she did not hold back from appearing publicly with her husband. He asked if the invitation to discretion was reserved only for homosexuals. David Belliard, environmental deputy at Paris town hall, recalled that coming out is a deeply personal act, which is the choice of each individual.
Emmanuel Macron's former minister, however, continued to justify her comments, explaining that it was not coming out in itself that bothered her, but what she describes as "the staging of her private life by an unknown person." ". The fact that Lucie Castets was described as “unknown” added fuel to the fire. Furthermore, some recalled that Nathalie Loiseau did not hesitate to pose with her family for press articles, which fueled accusations of hypocrisy.
Finally, other political figures, such as former minister Clément Beaune, who revealed his homosexuality in 2020, were also mentioned. Nathalie Loiseau defended them by emphasizing that they had been elected and had not made their intimacy a springboard to enter politics, thus trying to distinguish themselves from the situation of Lucie Castets.
