Published: Less than 20 min ago
“Go back to Africa,” shouted right-wing politician Grégoire de Fournas to black MP Carlos Martens Bilongo in the French parliament on Thursday.
The incident stirs up emotions in France.
Bilongo was giving a speech to challenge the government on migrants being left at sea when de Fourna’s ruling came.
– Absolutely not, a surprised Bilongo replied to the comment.
The member, who is part of the left-wing alliance Nupes, was born in France to parents who immigrated from southern Africa.
On Friday, he says he is “deeply hurt” by what happened.
The incident has triggered a wave of criticism and condemnation, but also a renewed discussion about the poorly hidden racism within the French right. Grégoire de Fournas is a parliamentarian in Marine Le Pen’s far-right party National Gathering (RN), one of the country’s three largest opposition parties.
Now de Fournas is threatened with suspension. However, Marine Le Pen claims on Twitter that he “only” meant boat refugees in general – not that Bilongo in particular would “go back” to Africa.
Regardless of who the comment was intended for, it shows racism against blacks, say French anti-racism organizations. The group SOS Racisme calls de Fourna’s outcome “the true face of the extreme right: the racist”.
“I stand by my comments about the anarchist migration policy in our country,” de Fournas wrote on Twitter on Friday.
President Emmanuel Macron is shocked by the “unacceptable” words, the Élysée Palace announces.