Government spokeswoman attacked in France
Before the decisive round of the French parliamentary election, there are only a few days left - and acts of violence during the campaign are increasing. Government spokesperson Thevenot and her team were attacked while poster campaigning. Two people from their entourage were taken to the hospital, one with a jaw fracture. "Violence is not an answer. I will continue my campaign", she wrote on X.
Thevenot filed a report. The identities of the perpetrators are unknown so far. "It all happened very, very quickly", Thevenot told the newspaper "Le Parisien". According to the newspaper, four young people were taken into custody, three of them minors. They are suspected of damaging the election posters. Thevenot had expressed concern a few hours before the incident in an interview about the increasing racism in the campaign. "As a mother of two children, it scares me", Thevenot said, whose parents are from Mauritius. A candidate from the right-wing populist party Rassemblement National (RN) had told her to "go back to your island".
Several other candidates have already been attacked, including an RN candidate who also filed a complaint. Health Minister Frédéric Valletoux criticized the escalating tensions in the campaign, such as "insults at local meetings that quickly turn violent".
Le Pen admits to "unacceptable remarks"
According to reports of RN candidates who drew attention due to racist remarks, RN politician Marine Le Pen admitted that there were "black sheep", as there are everywhere. There had been "unacceptable remarks", but also some that were "clumsy", she explained and accused the media of "inquisitorial" behavior.
The investigative magazine "Mediapart" published a list of 80 "problematic" RN candidates, including one who campaigned for a "cleansed and safe France". Another called on the black actor Omar Sy to stay in the USA. Among the RN candidates is also the founder of a pro-Russian lobby organization. A candidate who had posed for a photo with a Nazi umbrella has since withdrawn.
On Sunday is the decisive round of the election to the National Assembly. The RN is leading in the polls, but the distribution of seats is difficult to predict. Over 200 candidates have withdrawn from three-way races to reduce the chances of the respective RN candidates in their constituencies. Since 76 candidates have already qualified in the first round, voting will only take place in 501 of the 577 constituencies.
Despite the escalating tensions and incidents of violence during the campaign, Emmanuel Macron's government spokesperson, Thevenot, remains committed to continuing her campaign, stating "Violence is not an answer." Unfortunately, Thevenot and her team have become victims of this violence, with two of their associates requiring hospitalization after an attack while poster campaigning in France.
