Key Ally Explains Why He Deserted French Presidential Candidate Macron

In a letter published on Tuesday, General Soubelet wrote that the consistent support Macron was getting from members of the present government means that he is unlikely to make good on his election campaign promises for change.

General Soubelet, whose decision to join forces with the leader of En Marche! (Forward) party created such a big buzz in February, is now going to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections as a non-party candidate, RMC Radio reported.

In an interview with Sputnik France, Bertrand Soubelet said that the mere fact that Emmanuel Macron enjoys the support of people like Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and former Socialist Prime Minister Manuel Valls, means that the course he is going to take if elected would not differ much from that of the present government of President Francois Hollande.

“These two people (Le Drian and Valls) are both Cabinet ministers, and one of them is even a former prime minister, of a government that in the past five years has been leading us nowhere,” Soubelet said.

He added that he would never give his backing to a Socialist party’s clone within the En Marche! movement.

“I’m afraid that many of those who are rooting for Macron could eventually be rewarded with plum jobs in his future government. This is a risk I’m not ready to take. You can’t create something new with people who have spent the past 35 five years in politics,” the General continued.

In a recent interview with Le Figaro, Bertrand Soubelet said that many active members of En Marche! are honest, devoted and intelligent people, but they fail to see that their coordinators have already have their future posts cut out for them.

“It looks like the heads of local party branches are taking orders from their superiors who tell them to do this, to do that, to meet some people and to avoid others. It reminds me of what was happening in other countries, not necessarily democratic ones. This is very strange indeed,” he said.

General Jean-Bernard Pinatel, who is a good friend of Sobelet, said that “the Macron system is a fraud."

”Honest people, who stay out of politics and who want a change, are being told that Macron is the answer to their prayers. The truth is, however, that Macron will bring no changes, he will be just another Hollande, albeit a better looking one,” General Pinatel emphasized.

An independent centrist and a staunch pro-European, Emmanuel Macron has surged in campaigning for the French presidential elections and opinion polls make him a favorite to win election in May.

Macron is projected to win the first round of presidential elections with 26 percent of votes, while the National Front party leader Marine Le Pen is set to receive 25 percent, a BVA poll showed on Saturday.

The first round of presidential elections is set for April 23, while the run-off vote is scheduled for May 7.

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