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Eva Son-Forget

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Eva Son-Forget
Member of the National Assembly
for the 6th constituency for French residents overseas
In office
21 June 2017 – 21 June 2022
Preceded byClaudine Schmid
Succeeded byMarc Ferracci
Personal details
Born
Kim Jae Duk

(1983-04-15) 15 April 1983 (age 41)
Seoul, South Korea
NationalityFrench
Kosovar
Swiss
Political partyIndependent (since 2022)
Other political
affiliations		Socialist Party (until 2014)
La République En Marche! (2017–2018)
Valeur Absolue (2019–2021)
Reconquête (2022)
Children2
ProfessionRadiologist

Eva Son-Forget[1] (née Kim Jae Duk; Korean: 김재덕;[2] born 15 April 1983) is a South Korean-born French politician who lives in Switzerland. She also holds Kosovar (since 2018[3]) and Swiss citizenships (since 2020[4]).

Adopted by a French family as a child, Son-Forget holds a doctorate in neuroscience and has experience working as a radiologist in Switzerland. She was previously active within the Socialist Party (PS), then liberal party La République En Marche! (LREM) until she resigned from the party in late 2018. She then founded her own political party Valeur Absolue, and between 2021 and 2022 was active alongside far-right party Reconquête.[5] Son-Forget has variously labeled herself a liberal,[6] a right-winger,[7] a supporter of the European Union[8] and of French President Emmanuel Macron.[9]

Since her election as a member of the National Assembly in 2017, Son-Forget has made multiple appearances in interviews and talk shows and is an active user of social media.[5] On the Internet, her publishing of satirical content and memes drew attention from the press;[5] her use of social media has been described as "trolling" by various media outlets,[10][11][12][13] and has been the subject of controversy within French politics.

Biography

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Early life

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Born in South Korea, Joachim Son-Forget was adopted by a French family as a child and grew up in Langres, before studying in Dijon, Paris and Lausanne.[14]

In 2005, she received a Master 2 in cognitive science from CogMaster (co-accredited by Paris Descartes University, EHESS and ENS Ulm) with cognitive psychologist Stanislas Dehaene. In 2008 she graduated at the end of the second cycle (Master 2) of medical studies at the University of Burgundy. In 2015, she obtained a doctorate MD-PhD in medicine and cognitive neuroscience. The subject of her thesis was "Visuo-vestibular mechanisms of bodily self-consciousness".[15]

Political career

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Son-Forget supported Socialist candidate François Hollande during the 2012 French presidential election. She was secretary of the Geneva section of the French Socialist Party within the Federation of French Abroad, and chairman of the committee of activists of the Party of European Socialists in Switzerland, before taking leave in 2014.[16] In 2017, she joined then-presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron's political movement, "En Marche!" which later became La République En Marche (LREM).

2017 French legislative election

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Son-Forget was the LREM candidate in the 2017 French legislative election for the sixth constituency for French residents overseas, which covers Switzerland and Liechtenstein. She progressed to the second round and defeated Republican candidate Claudine Schmid with 74.94% of the vote and 18.78% turnout.[17]

Member of the National Assembly

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Son-Forget in 2017

As a member of the National Assembly, Son-Forget sat on the Foreign Affairs Committee and served as president of the France-South Korea Friendship Group[18] and vice-president of the France-Kosovo Friendship Group.[19] With La France Insoumise (LFI) member Jean-Luc Mélenchon, she co-wrote a report on France's strategy on seas and oceans.[20]

In October 2018, she was a candidate in an internal election for Executive Officer of LREM, opposing fellow Member of Parliament Stanislas Guerini.[21][22] She was defeated with 18% of the vote.[22]

On 29 December 2018, Son-Forget resigned from both LREM and its parliamentary group amidst controversy on social networks and a spat with Green Senator Esther Benbassa.[23][24] She declared she was still supporting President Macron.[24]

On 31 December 2018, Son-Forget announced she would create her own political party, Je suis français et européen ("I am French and European") abbreviated as JSFee.[note 1][10] The party was renamed in July 2019 as Valeur Absolue (which translates to "absolute value").[26][27]

In January 2019, Son-Forget joined center-right parliamentary group UDI, Agir and Independents[28][29] and left in December of that year.[9][30] She sat as a Non-Attached member of the National Assembly for the remainder of her mandate.[31]

2022 French elections

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In February 2020, invited on talk show Touche pas à mon poste !, Son-Forget announced she would run for the 2022 French presidential election, introducing Alexandre Benalla (former deputy chief of staff to Emmanuel Macron) as one of her supporters.[32] Previously, Son-Forget had attempted to have Benalla hired as her parliamentary assistant, but her application was rejected by the National Assembly.[33]

In 2021, Son-Forget began assisting and actively gathering support for far-right presidential candidate Éric Zemmour early in Zemmour's campaign. Son-Forget's change of political affiliation, from socialism to liberalism to the far-right, has been described as a singular path by some in the French media, and surprised personalities within LREM of which she used to be a member.[5] In an interview on Sud Radio, Son-Forget insisted that neither she nor Zemmour were far-right, labeling herself as a conservative.[7] After Zemmour was eliminated in the first round of the presidential election, Son-Forget endorsed candidate Emmanuel Macron ahead of the second round.[6]

During the presidential campaign, Son-Forget had expressed her desire to run for the upcoming legislative election, representing Reconquête (the party founded by Zemmour).[34] She eventually ran for re-election in her constituency as an independent candidate[35] and was defeated in the first round with 4.5% of the vote.[36][37]

In December 2022, Son-Forget announced she had joined the Democratic Union of the Centre (also known as Swiss People's Party or SVP) a national-conservative party in Switzerland which is the largest in the Federal Assembly.[38][39] It was later reported that Son-Forget would temporarily join the local branch of the SVP in Yverdon-les-Bains.[38] However, the following month, the SVP announced her application was rejected.[40][41]

Gender transition

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In 2024, Son-Forget, born as a male, began reflecting on her gender identity.[42] In November 2024, she officially declared herself as female at the Canton of Geneva, and was issued new identity documents with her new first name, Eva, and her female gender.[1]

Controversies

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On 23 December 2018, through her Twitter account, Son-Forget called out Green Senator Esther Benbassa for her recent remarks on the yellow vests movement; additionally, Son-Forget made derogatory comments about Benbassa's makeup habits. The controversy that ensued prompted him to address "haters" through satirical statements and Internet memes.[24][43] This behavior was criticized by fellow members of LREM; Executive Officer Stanislas Guerini announced the party would issue him a "warning letter".[44] Son-Forget, who stated her intent was to go viral on social media using "cognitive psychology",[24] refused to apologize, and later declared she was quitting the party.[23]

In December 2019, Son-Forget published online a picture of her posing with nationalist politician Marion Maréchal, describing it as a "teaser". This move was condemned by Jean-Christophe Lagarde, president of parliamentary group UDI, Agir and Independents (UAI) of which Son-Forget had become a member; Lagarde explained that the values of the group were incompatible with nationalism. In response, Son-Forget resigned from UAI.[30]

On 18 April 2020, Son-Forget's Twitter account was edited to impersonate president Emmanuel Macron and began posting messages of satirical nature. Son-Forget later changed her account back to normal, claiming that someone had been maliciously using her account.[45][46] A similar incident happened in January 2021 after Twitter's permanent account suspension of Donald Trump, when Son-Forget edited her account to impersonate Trump; Twitter subsequently suspended Son-Forget's own account.[47][48]

Personal life

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Son-Forget currently lives in Switzerland with her two children and her second wife, a Korean national.[49][50]

Son-Forget has reportedly been passionate about Kosovo since she was a teenager[49][51] and was a Vice-President of the France-Kosovo relations group in the French National Assembly.[19] In 2018, then-President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi personally awarded Kosovar citizenship to Son-Forget.[3][49]

Aside from her political and medical career, Son-Forget plays the harpsichord[50] and practices long range shooting and various martial arts such as karate.[51] In 2019, she recorded a song titled En Couleurs, featuring Doc Gynéco.[52]

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On 15 June 2024, Son-Forget was arrested in Paris after being suspected of driving over the speed limit in the streets of the 7th arrondissement of Paris and failing to stop her car after colliding with another vehicle. She then tested positive for cocaine, a small dose of which was found on her.[53][54] She was taken into custody, and on 17 June was placed under judicial supervision and charged with failure to obey a police order after reckless driving, driving under the influence and fleeing the scene after causing material damage.[54][55] Her trial was due for 29 August 2024.[54]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ The abbreviation capitalizes "JSF", which stands for both je suis français (I am French) and the initials of her former own name.[25]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b Barbezat, Alessia (2024-11-18). "Elle s'appelait Joachim. Eva Son-Forget annonce sa transition de genre". Blick (in Swiss French). Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  2. ^ "[단독 인터뷰]입양前 이름은 '김재덕'… 사랑하는 아내 姓따라 '손재덕'으로". www.donga.com (in Korean). 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  3. ^ a b "Un député LREM né à Séoul et représentant les Français de Suisse devient... Kosovar" (in French). AFP via France 24. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  4. ^ https://www.rts.ch/info/regions/vaud/13670855-lancien-depute-francais-joachim-sonforget-rejoint-ludc-yverdonlesbains.html
  5. ^ a b c d "Joachim Son-Forget, de «champion» macroniste à fervent soutien d'Eric Zemmour". Le Temps (in French). 2021-11-12. ISSN 1423-3967. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  6. ^ a b ""Contre la trahison nationale, je voterai Macron le 24 avril"". Blick (in French). 13 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  7. ^ a b ""Si Éric Zemmour était d'extrême droite, je ne le soutiendrais pas !" affirme Joachim Son-Forget". Sud Radio (in French). 3 December 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Le député ex-LREM Joachim Son-Forget propose une "présidence tournante"". Europe 1 (in French). 10 January 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Politique. Le député Joachim Son-Forget quitte le groupe UDI et s'affiche avec Marion Maréchal". Ouest-France (in French). 18 December 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  10. ^ a b Pétreault, Clément (31 December 2018). "Joachim Son-Forget : Le "roi des trolls" fonde son parti politique". Le Point (in French). Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  11. ^ Le Pennec, Tony (14 February 2020). "Comment Son-Forget est devenu député-troll". Arrêt sur images (in French). Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  12. ^ Pitrel, Thomas (8 February 2019). "Joachim Son-Forget, le troll". Society (in French). No. 99. p. 62. ISSN 2426-5780.
  13. ^ Perru, Axel (2 May 2022). "Sortie de route, promotion… Que sont devenus les députés "société civile" de la Macronie ?". Marianne (in French). Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Joachim Son-Forget élu par les Français de Suisse". La Tribune de Genève (in French). 2017-06-19. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  15. ^ Forget, Joachim (31 August 2015). Visuo-vestibular mechanisms of bodily self-consciousness (Thesis). École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. doi:10.5075/epfl-thesis-6715. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  16. ^ Solenn de Royer (2014-10-05). "Ces militants PS qui ne veulent plus de Hollande en 2017" (in French). Le Figaro. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  17. ^ "2017 French legislative election results". interieur.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  18. ^ "Composition du groupe d'amitié France-Corée du Sud". National Assembly (in French). Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  19. ^ a b "Composition du groupe d'amitié France-Kosovo". National Assembly (in French). Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  20. ^ "Mission d'information sur les mers et océans : quelle stratégie pour la France ?". National Assembly (in French). Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  21. ^ Vandekerkhove, Charlie (16 November 2018). "Stanislas Guerini et Joachim Son-Forget candidats officiels pour prendre la tête de LaREM". BFMTV (in French). Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  22. ^ a b Lemarié, Alexandre (1 December 2018). "Le député Stanislas Guerini élu à la tête de La République en marche". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  23. ^ a b "Le député Joachim Son-Forget, auteur de dérapages sur Twitter, quitte La République en marche". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2018-12-29. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
  24. ^ a b c d "Le groupe LREM se désolidarise de Joachim Son-Forget après ses tweets sexistes" (in French). Le Point. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  25. ^ Schmitt, Camille (2 January 2019). "Joachim Son-Forget : l'ex-député REM fonde son parti politique". RTL (in French). Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  26. ^ Announcement n. 1689 for the creation of political association Valeur Absolue (in French) on the Journal Officiel (20 July 2019).
  27. ^ de Villaines, Astrid (14 February 2020). "Le virage trash de Joachim Son-Forget, le député qui a relayé la vidéo de Griveaux". Le HuffPost (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  28. ^ Focraud, Arnaud (15 January 2019). "Joachim Son-Forget rejoint le groupe UDI : "Il ne mérite pas l'ostracisme", défend Jean-Christophe Lagarde". Le Journal du Dimanche (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  29. ^ Ducros, Christine (15 January 2019). "Le député provocateur Joachim Son-Forget rejoint l'UDI en promettant de s'amender". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  30. ^ a b N.Be. (19 December 2019). "Le député UDI Joachim Son-Forget, ex-LREM, quitte son groupe et se rapproche de Marion Maréchal". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  31. ^ "M. Joachim Son-Forget". National Assembly (in French). Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  32. ^ "" TPMP " : Joachim Son-Forget annonce sa candidature à la présidentielle de 2022". 20 minutes (in French). 13 February 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  33. ^ "L'Assemblée interdit à Benalla de devenir l'assistant parlementaire du député Son-Forget". L'Express (in French). 11 February 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  34. ^ Grépinet, Mariana (17 March 2022). "Le périple ukrainien du député Joachim Son-Forget". Paris Match (in French). Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  35. ^ Werly, Richard (23 May 2022). "Joachim Son-Forget repart à l'assaut des urnes françaises de Suisse". blick.ch (in French). Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  36. ^ "Législatives. Le député sortant Joachim Son-Forget, ex-LREM, éliminé dès le premier tour". ouest-france.fr (in French). 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  37. ^ "Législatives 2022 : défaite au premier tour pour Joachim Son-Forget, l'élu passé de LREM au soutien affiché à Zemmour". ladepeche.fr (in French). 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  38. ^ a b "Après avoir rejoint Eric Zemmour, l'ancien député français Joachim Son-Forget adhère à l'UDC d'Yverdon". Le Temps (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  39. ^ Vigano, Lisa (30 December 2023). "L'UDC dément avoir accueilli Joachim Son-Forget dans ses rangs". Tribune de Genève (in French). Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  40. ^ "Joachim Son-Forget ne sera finalement pas membre de l'UDC yverdonnoise". Blick (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  41. ^ Jotterand, Raphaël (11 January 2023). "Plus aucune section de l'UDC ne veut de Joachim Son-Forget". Le Temps (in French). Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  42. ^ Barbezat, Alessia (2024-06-19). "Après son arrestation, l'ancien député Joachim Son-Forget s'explique". Blick (in Swiss French). Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  43. ^ "Propos sexistes : Joachim Son-Forget recadré par le chef des députés LRM" (in French). Le Monde. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  44. ^ "" Pot de maquillage " : une lettre d'avertissement pour Joachim Son-Forget" (in French). Le Point. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  45. ^ "Sur Twitter, le compte de Son-Forget se transforme en celui de Macron". Le Point (in French). 19 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  46. ^ Serradeil, Robin (19 April 2020). "Quand le député Joachim Son Forget usurpe l'identité d'Emmanuel Macron sur Twitter et dénonce un piratage". La Dépêche du Midi (in French). Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  47. ^ "Twitter suspends French MP for impersonating Donald Trump". POLITICO. 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  48. ^ El Mosselli, Sabrina (9 January 2021). "Le député Joachim Son-Forget se fait passer pour Donald Trump sur Twitter, son compte est suspendu". La Dépêche du Midi (in French). Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  49. ^ a b c Vaulerin, Arnaud (9 July 2018). "Joachim Son-Forget, corépublicain". Libération (in French). Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  50. ^ a b Lecomte, Christian (2017-05-14). "Joachim Son-Forget, résilient de la République". Le Temps (in French). Retrieved 8 November 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  51. ^ a b Burel, Lucas (27 December 2018). "Karaté, tir au fusil, Kosovar... 7 choses à savoir sur le député Joachim Son-Forget". L'Obs (in French). Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  52. ^ Rossignol, Aurélie (29 March 2019). "Le député Joachim Son-Forget et Doc Gynéco ont enregistré un morceau sur les Gilets jaunes". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  53. ^ Blanchet, Antoine (18 June 2024). "Paris : contrôlé sous cocaïne après un refus d'obtempérer, l'ancien député Joachim Son-Forget bientôt jugé". actuParis (in French). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  54. ^ a b c "L'ex-député Joachim Son-Forget jugé ce jeudi pour refus d'obtempérer et usage de cocaïne". CNews (in French). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  55. ^ Bartoli, Eloïse; Pham-Lê, Jérémie (18 June 2024). "L'ex-député Joachim Son-Forget interpellé à Paris pour refus d'obtempérer et conduite sous l'emprise de cocaïne". LeParisien (in French). Retrieved 12 November 2024.
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