Macron: I’m too busy to interfere in the Paris mayor race – POLITICO

BRUSSELS — Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said he’s got “more important things” to do than dabble in local politics after the Socialist Party candidate for Paris mayor, Emmanuel Grégoire, accused the French president of making “a pact with the devil” to try to swing the race against him.

In an interview Thursday morning, Grégoire accused Macron of personally intervening to convince the far-right candidate Sarah Knafo, who narrowly qualified for the runoff, to leave the race. Knafo’s decision to abandon her campaign narrowed the runoff field down to two candidates on the left and just one on the right: Rachida Dati, Macron’s former culture minister.

That dynamic will make the race more competitive despite Grégoire’s strong showing in the first round.