[The review below was delivered via corrospondence. The author, Mr. Lundswud, is not an employee of the Daily Prophet and his views do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of the paper.]

A brief analysis of the political ambitions of Monsieur Timoleon Maxime.

Having spent the first twenty-one years of his life in France, Maxime bases his campaign for English political office on the strength of a decade's work in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, of which he is currently the Assistant Head. His career progression into this position is at least safe from charges of nepotism; despite his family being one of prominence in France he does not suffer from an overabundance of familial connections within our own Ministry. Indeed, Maxime was quoted in the article announcing his candidacy as priding himself in his hard work and dedication, which saw him rise to his current position and hopes to propel him into the Minister's office.

Given this, one might expect the department to be a flourishing beacon of productivity under his leadership, and yet the headlines since he assumed the position in late 1891 hardly bear this out. In February of 1892 Hogsmeade was plagued by a string of kidnappings, with citizens disappearing from every background and walk of life. Those kidnappings were eventually solved not through the efforts of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but rather due to a series of miscalculations on the part of the kidnapper which lead to the escape of the hostages. Summer of 1892 saw the beginning of a string of inexplicable murders, apparently linked by ominous clues printed in the Prophet and posited by some to be the work of a serial murderer. All of these deaths, including that of Assistant Head of the Department of Mysteries Ernest Mulciber, remain officially unsolved — and, according to insider reports, are no longer being actively investigated.

One may argue that Maxime can hardly be held personally responsible for the lack of crime-solving in the department; he is only Assistant Head, after all. Department Head Murdock Greyback has received his fair share of criticism throughout these events, and without inside knowledge of how the department is run on the day-to-day basis it could be argued that Greyback's leadership is the problem, and that given the opportunity Maxime might straighten the department out. A recent example, however, casts doubt on this premise: Maxime was in attendance at a ball in which an heirloom was reported stolen and the hostess locked the guests inside while awaiting the arrival of Law Enforcement, and rather than take charge in that situation — or, indeed, make his presence known to the hostess at all — he was seen in the company of Miss Estelle Malfoy for most of the evening. His self-professed legendary work ethic is, one might infer, no match for the charms of a young woman. (Perhaps this is unsurprising in light of the fact that he referenced his desire to find a wife and not "work such long hours" during the Ministerial debate).

Having taken note of his qualifications henceforth, let us turn our attention to Maxime's policies. He has not been particularly forthcoming on particular issues, but has been very vocal about his disdain for some other politicians, which can give us some insight. He was reportedly proclaiming in the streets of Hogsmeade his disdain for former Minister Darcy Potter. Minister Potter's notable achievements while in office include the expansion of Hogsmeade and the brokering of peace with Muggles for the first time since the 1877 riots, leading to the founding of Irvingly. Ought we to infer that Maxime looks down on ongoing interactions between the magical and Muggle communities? If elected, how might he represent us to the Muggle Queen? Minister Potter also oversaw the return of the Quidditch World Cup to Hogsmeade after a long hiatus, and the construction of the Howlers pitch in Irvingly to support the endeavor. Would Maxime shun efforts to bring us into closer contact with the rest of the international magical community, or to demonstrate Britain's capabilities on the world stage?

In order to be considered a worthwhile candidate, Maxime must fulfill at least two of the following:
Specify his policies and plans as pertaining to international relations;
Clarify his stance on Muggle-Magical relations, with specific attention to how he plans to manage the ongoing relationship between the government of magical Britain and the Muggle Queen & Prime Minister;
Provide clear evidence that his exceptional work ethic has accomplished something – a list of specific achievements while in office;
Publish a platform consisting of his top four policy priorities were he elected, with specifics

More candidate reviews to follow.
— J. L.