A few days before the European elections, France Insoumise confirms that it has mastered the art of agitprop. LFI MP Rachel Kéké brandished a Palestinian flag this Tuesday, June 4, in the Assembly hemicycle, reproducing the gesture of her colleague Sébastien Delogu last week, and the session was suspended.
At the opening of the debates, environmentalist, communist and LFI deputies presented themselves dressed in black, red, white and green, the colors of the Palestinian flag, to show their support for these people. “I believe it is necessary to remember that we are in the hemicycle of the National Assembly. The hemicycle is the place of debate, the place of democratic debate and the expression of parliamentarians takes place exclusively in the oral”, reacted the President of the Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet, letting the debates continue.
In response, LR and Renaissance deputies girded their tricolor scarves. The exchanges heated up when Rachel Kéké, herself dressed in red, green, white and black, brandished a Palestinian flag. Yaël Braun-Pivet immediately pronounced a call to order “on the seat” with entry in the minutes – the strongest sanction provided for in the regulations of the Assembly that she can decide on her own initiative, and decided on a suspension session. In the process, the deputies sang a Marseillaise on all the benches. The session was then able to resume calmly. Yaël Braun-Pivet indicated that the office would meet later to possibly decide on a heavier sanction against Rachel Kéké.
“Show policy”
Several majority deputies expressed their disapproval to the press. “It’s show politics, they don’t advance peace by a millimeter,” responded Renaissance MP Mathieu Lefèvre, president of the France-Israel friendship group.
“It’s prohibited. I know there is a problem between LFI and the rules. But they do not have to wave a foreign flag in the hemicycle,” commented RN Franck Allisio. “After what happened (in Rafah) it was important to reaffirm support for the Palestinian people. Another voice is possible in France, it is also expressed through symbols like this,” justified the environmentalist MP. Sabrina Sebaihi, green dress, black jacket and keffiyeh around her neck.