The deputy for the 13th constituency of Rhône from the National Rally (RN), a far-right political party in France, was removed from her position as head of the party's Rhône federation on Monday evening. The decision was made by the party's Paris headquarters and came after tensions linked to the conviction of her husband earlier this month. Tiffany Joncour, who had held the position since 2023, was replaced by Pierre Costantino, a 32-year-old appointed by party leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. Costantino expressed his appreciation for the appointment in a statement to local media, confirming the news first reported by Le Progrès. The removal followed a legal case involving Maxime Gaucher, a far-right activist and husband of Tiffany Joncour. On August 26, Gaucher received a 15-month prison sentence for premeditated violence and repeated threats against Tim Bouzon, a metropolitan councilor and parliamentary attaché of Tiffany Joncour. The incident occurred after Gaucher discovered messages on his wife’s phone that suggested she was having an affair with Bouzon. This revelation prompted Gaucher to travel over 500 kilometers from the Landes region to the Sarthe, where Bouzon was vacationing. Bouzon was attacked during the night of August 19 to 20 while running and required five days of sick leave. According to Andréa Kotarac, a spokesperson for the National Rally and president of the party’s regional group, the decision to appoint Pierre Costantino was made to help ease tensions and allow the party to move forward. “We needed someone from outside to calm the tensions and allow everyone to find their place,” she stated, adding that Costantino’s calm demeanor makes him well-suited for the role. Costantino, a collaborator of Thierry Perez, an RN deputy from Isère, has lived in Bron, a commune in the Rhône region, for a long time and was even a candidate in the 2020 municipal elections. He joined the National Rally in 2024. The leadership change in the National Rally's Rhône federation comes amid a broader focus on the 2027 presidential election, with the goal of electing Marine Le Pen. Pierre Costantino has emphasized his intent to work with all active members of the party, including Tiffany Joncour, who remains a “member by right” of the federation’s board. The incident involving Maxime Gaucher, who was sentenced in late August, highlights the personal and political tensions that led to the change in leadership. Gaucher, a known identitarian activist based in Lyon, was driven by jealousy after discovering the alleged affair, which led to the violent confrontation in the Sarthe.