France rebellious in embarrassment after the Quatennens affair

Politicians Adrien Quatennens and Jean-Luc Mélenchon at the National Assembly, March 3, 2020. AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

La France insoumise (LFI) is in turmoil after the withdrawal of Adrien Quatennens from his post as party coordinator.

In the midst of a divorce, the deputy from the North, rising star of LFI, admitted on Sunday September 18 to having slapped his wife.

An announcement that follows an article in Le Canard enchaîné revealing that he was the target of a handrail.

It's a blow for the Insoumis.

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Within La France insoumise (LFI), his face represents the future of the party.

On television sets or in the ranks of the National Assembly, the deputy from the North is popular.

Adrien Quatennens was even hitherto tipped as the successor to Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

La France insoumise would therefore have done well without

this affair

 which prompted the native of Lille to withdraw from his post as party coordinator.

While the couple is in the process of divorce, Céline Quatennens, the wife of Adrien Quatennens, filed a handrail.

The deputy from the North admitted to having “ 

gave him a slap in

the face  ”.

Mélenchon tripped over the carpet

This case is in addition to the accusations of

sexual harassment and sexual violence

brought against the journalist and activist Taha Bouhafs, and more recently against the deputy of Seine-Saint-Denis Éric Coquerel.

To make matters worse, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the founder of LFI, tripped over Twitter.

At first, he supported Adrien Quatennens, without condemning the violence, and without a word for his wife.

Under fire from critics, he finally evoked an unacceptable slap and displayed his affection for Céline Quatennens.

Céline and Adrien are both my friends.

My affection for him does not mean that I am indifferent to Céline.

She didn't want to be quoted.

But I say: a slap is unacceptable in any case.

Adrian accepts it.

It's good.

— Jean-Luc Melenchon (@JLMelenchon) September 18, 2022

A faux pas which perfectly illustrates the embarrassment in which La France Insoumise finds itself today, a few weeks before the start of the parliamentary term.

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