The Europe Écologie-Les-Verts MEP suddenly died this Wednesday, November 29, 2023 as she was preparing to go to the European Parliament. What happened ?
Environmentalists are in mourning. The EELV party learned this Wednesday, November 29, 2023 of the sudden death of one of its own. Michèle Rivasi, a Drôme MEP with the Europe Écologie-Les Verts label, died while she was about to go to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Born on February 3, 1953 in Montélimar, the woman who had been a European deputy for fourteen years was the victim of a heart attack, indicates France Blue.
Before embarking on a career as a European deputy in July 2009, Michèle Rivasi had been general councilor of Drôme, between 2008 and 2009, but also a socialist deputy from 1997 to 2002. In parallel with her life as an MEP, Michèle Rivasi had also summer, between 2008 and 2020, municipal councilor of Valencia.
Founder of the Commission for Independent Research and Information on Radioactivity
During her career, Michèle Rivasi notably distinguished herself by founding, in the aftermath of the terrible nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, in April 1986, the Commission for Independent Research and Information on Radioactivity (CRIIRAD) whose objective was in particular to counter the State’s studies according to which the radioactive cloud had to stop at the border, by relying on its own analyses. Michèle Rivasi is also known for her fight against the lead paint scandal in schools, carried out when she was an MP. In Brussels, she had also become one of the fervent opponents of glyphosate.
Strong emotion among environmentalists at the announcement of the death of Michèle Rivasi
Among environmentalists, reactions were quick to follow after the announcement of the death of Michèle Rivasi this Wednesday. “I have the infinite sadness to learn of the sudden disappearance of Michèle Rivasi, an environmentalist MEP. She was one of those tireless activists, friendly, authentic, accessible,” the national secretary said on X (ex-Twitter). of EELV, Marine Tondelier, adding: “We mourn a great lady of political ecology. All our thoughts to her family.”
As relayed by The world, MEP David Cormand reportedly confided, in an internal message sent to his colleagues: “We are devastated by this news. We were all deeply attached to Michèle.” For him, “we [pouvait] than being in love with Michèle [Rivasi]because everything in her inspires[ait] friendliness, accessibility, authenticity. Even in her rants, her uncompromising and caring frankness prevailed over everything else.” Future head of the EELV list in 2024, Marie Toussaint also paid tribute to Michèle Rivasi’s “unshakeable” faith “in the militant action, her listening to citizens, her keen independence”, noting that “her permanent fight against all lobbies have made her a great lady of ecology”.