The youngest MP, Flavien Termet, from the National Union, was at the polls during the vote for the presidency of the National Assembly. Several left-wing MPs did not greet him.
In France, tradition dictates that the youngest MP stands by the ballot box during the vote for the presidency of the National Assembly. This year, in the first round, this role was taken on by 22-year-old Flavien Termet. The young man from Marine Le Pen’s far-right Union National party tried to shake hands with the other MPs, but several left-wing MPs refused to shake his hand; some even resorted to “rock, paper, scissors” to avoid shaking hands with their political opponent.
The moment was led by François Piquemal, deputy of França Insubmissa, who shared the images on social networks last Thursday, July 18. “At the polls, like rock, paper, scissors, in the end it is the NFP [Nova Frente Popular] “Who wins?” he wrote in the caption of the post, alluding to the victory of the left-wing alliance – which is made up of the Communist Party, France Insoumise, the Greens and the Socialist Party – in the French elections.
Speaking to Ouest France, François Piquemal said that the moment was spontaneous and that he had “not planned anything”. It was with “a lot of insistence” from Flavien Termet that he had “this instinctive idea”, he said.
At the polls comes the pierre feuille ciseau, in the end it is the NFP that comes ✌️ pic.twitter.com/IMt6mkur0c
— François Piquemal (@FraPiquemal) July 18, 2024
The same French daily reports that all the deputies of França Insubmissa refused to greet the ‘baby’ of the National Assembly, as well as some Greens and Socialists, such as, for example, Sandrine Rousseau or Olivier Faure.
On social media, some deputies justified their attitude. It was the louis boyard casefrom França Insubmissa, who made it clear that he has no intention of shaking hands with representatives of the far right: “We do not shake hands with the far right. Never.”
On ne serre pas à la main à l’extreme droite.
Never.#DirectAN pic.twitter.com/kQ1nM8rj6x
—Louis Boyard (@LouisBoyard) July 18, 2024
The refusal to greet Flavien Terment sparked controversy, especially after the young man accused França Insubmissa MP Sébastien Delogu of “physical intimidation” and of insulting him by saying, according to Le Journal du Dimanche, “Are you crazy? Are you crazy or what?” social networkTerment said that these were “Stalinist methods” and that “intimidation” was “unworthy of the National Assembly.”
LFI et ses Stalinian methods.
Les intimidations physiques du député Delogu sont indignes de l’Assemblée nationale.
Faced with the extreme clumsiness that transforms the hemicycle into ZAD, the deputies of the @grupoRN_off We are respectful of the mandate and trust of the voters. pic.twitter.com/jtNgE4BMFb
– Termet Flavien (@Flavien_Termet) July 18, 2024
Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Union, also reacted to what he described as “Delogu’s threatening tone towards the youngest member of the National Assembly”. “The sectarianism of the elected officials of the PFN who refuse to be educated: the left is importing into the hemicycle a culture of scum that damages our institutions,” he charged.
In an interview with the daily La Provence on Saturday (quoted by Le Journal du Dimanche), Sébastien Delogu denied having threatened the young man from the National Union. “I simply asked him if he was serious, if he thought I was going to shake hands with a racist,” he began by explaining. “He said: ‘It’s the custom’. I replied: ‘You’re crazy, that will never happen’. I didn’t threaten him, I wasn’t violent,” he added.
According to Le Figaro, in the second round of voting, Flavien Termet gave way to Hanane Mansouri, from the far-right union that brings together the Republicans and the National Union. Some MPs maintained their attitude and also refused to greet the 23-year-old.
Le ton menacant de M. Delogu contra le benjamin de l’Assemblée nationale @Flavien_Termetel sectarianism d’élus NFP qui rejects la politesse élémentaire: la gauche importa dans l’hémicycle une culture racaille qui abîme nos Institutions.
The indignity of the first day.
—Jordan Bardella (@J_Bardella) July 18, 2024
Source: Observadora
