French lawmaker risks suspension for alleged racism in parliament

A French far-right MP faces disciplinary action after he allegedly responded to a black parliamentary colleague's question about migrants stranded at sea by saying: “Let them return to Africa.” 

French lawmakers Gregoire de Fournas, left, of the far-right National Rally, and Carlos Martens Bilongo of the far-left France Unbowed party. © AFP

Gregoire de Fournas of the National Rally party reportedly made the comment in the National Assembly on Thursday.

The president of the lower house of the French Parliament, Yaël Braun-Pivet, subsequently suspended the legislative session. 

The MP's case is being considered by the National Assembly's highest disciplinary body.

If de Fournas is found guilty of racism, he can be punished by the loss of half his monthly allowance or, if the fault is considered extremely serious, by exclusion from the French lower house for 15 days of debates, and the loss of half his pay for two months.

Whatever the disciplinary body decides will be subject to a vote before the assembly.

De Fournas spoke while Carlos Martens Bilongo of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party was challenging French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist government over a maritime rescue boat that is carrying hundreds of passengers in the Mediterranean Sea and has not received an assigned port to bring them to.

Charities helping the migrants have appealed to the French government to take them in or help find a solution.

The French authorities have not yet responded.

Braun-Pivet said the comment in parliament would be investigated on Friday.

Grégoire de Fournas: "Je ne présenterai pas des excuses pour quelque chose que je n'ai pas fait" pic.twitter.com/AJUKqmbKB2

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Sanctions 'will be taken' 

The far-right National Rally has a reputation for strong anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Party spokesman Victor Chabert said de Fournas was referring to migrants at sea in his Africa remark and not – as some in French media wondered – to his fellow lawmaker.

Some claimed that de Fournas had only said “return to Africa” because the beginning of his sentence was muffled.

Fournas since sent Martens Bilongo an email to try to defuse tensions. 

Reacting to the event, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said that “racism has no place in our democracy”.