The case, raised by radio RCJ on Wednesday afternoon, gained momentum thanks to the dissemination on social networks of a temporary list of attribution of the presidency of these groups, wrongly presented as definitive. , and on which we see that the RN has selected the one on anti-Semitism.

The far-right group, which strives to display an image of respectability, particularly since the spectacular election of 89 deputies in the last legislative elections, took part in a meeting on Tuesday on these structures, bringing together parliamentarians on various themes for monitoring work. and tracking.

According to a member of Renaissance participating in the meeting, the political groups have acted on the principle of selecting "each in turn two study groups", until the list of "80 themes" available is locked.

His turn came, Sébastien Chenu, vice-president RN, also in charge of study groups in the Assembly, proposed that his party chair that on anti-Semitism.

Outcry in response from Renaissance MP Sylvain Maillard, president of this group until last June.

"The deputies from the left, LFI, PS, ecologists came behind us (...) It's a real casus belli for us", insists a Renaissance source.

“It is out of the question that we give in on this point: we absolutely want to recover the presidency of this group”, declared Wednesday to the JDD Sylvain Maillard.

Contacted, Sébastien Chenu confirmed that he had proposed that the RN chair, then co-chair the group.

"Nothing is settled," he added.

Several meetings are yet to take place, including one on November 16, according to participants.

“No creation, no attribution is recorded before the decision of the office of the Assembly”, reacted Wednesday the president of the Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet.

The highest collegiate body, whose composition is not favorable to the RN, will indeed have to validate (or reject) the allocation of groups "on December 7", according to the presidency.

If the RN group were to preside, "never the Crif and the Jewish institutions will participate in this masquerade", reacted Yonathan Arfi, president of the Crif.

"Inconceivable. The Socialists strongly oppose it and ask the other Republican groups in the National Assembly to do the same," insisted the boss of the PS deputies Boris Vallaud.

"The Republican arc, the one who sanctioned racist remarks in the hemicycle, must prevent it", added his colleague Jérôme Guedj.

"It interests us on the merits, it is not at all provocation, it is a commitment of Sébastien Chenu for a long time", assured a source in the entourage of Marine Le Pen.

© 2022 AFP