They are not welcome. The family of Robert Badinter does not wish the presence of elected officials from the National Rally (RN) or La France insoumise (LFI) at the national tribute which will be paid on Wednesday to the former Minister of Justice, who died last week, AFP learned on Tuesday February 13.

The Élysée made this wish of Élisabeth Badinter, the widow of the father of the abolition of the death penalty, known to both parties, according to this source, confirming information from Le Figaro.

Also read: Robert Badinter, a life marked by the fight against anti-Semitism

Questioned by AFP, the National Rally affirmed that Marine Le Pen and the other invited elected officials from her party had decided not to go there, in accordance with the wishes of the family. “We will not be present, the family did not wish it. I am not going to argue,” Marine Le Pen then declared, on the sidelines of a session at the National Assembly.

Parliamentary leaders, regardless of party, are invited to national tributes in accordance with protocol.

“A national tribute from which part of the French are excluded”

The leaders of the far right stuck to the minimum service in their tributes to the memory of Robert Badinter, a figure long reviled for having abolished the death penalty. Marine Le Pen had hailed “a prominent figure in the intellectual and legal landscape”, while affirming that we “could not share all the struggles” of the former Minister of Justice.

Also read “Figure of the century”, “a righteous man among the righteous”: shower of tributes after the death of Robert Badinter

On the contrary, rebellious officials had increased their praise. The leader of the radical left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, again published an article in L'Obs on Monday to salute a figure who "permanently stuck to the altitude of the ideal".

Jean-Luc Mélenchon also regretted, on Tuesday, that the national tribute which will be paid to Robert Badinter will become a ceremony "from which some French people are excluded". "Badinter: a national tribute from which a part of the French are excluded is no longer a national tribute. The Republic is one and indivisible", wrote on X the leading figure of La France insoumise.

Badinter: a national tribute from which a part of the French are excluded is no longer a national tribute. The Republic is one and indivisible.

— Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) February 13, 2024

The party subsequently announced in the afternoon that it will be represented by two deputies. “A national tribute is a national tribute. We are invited, and we will be represented there by Caroline Fiat, vice-president of the National Assembly and Éric Coquerel, president of the Finance Commission,” indicated the Insoumis parliamentary group .

A minute of silence was respected by the deputies on all benches on Tuesday in the National Assembly. All the groups then applauded, some RN deputies abstaining.

Tribute to Robert Badinter: the National Assembly observes a minute of silence. #DirectAN #QAG pic.twitter.com/qoBwyoBRZ4

— LCP (@LCP) February 13, 2024

With AFP

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