The Luxembourg politician who has undoubtedly confronted Jean-Marie Le Pen most directly is the social democrat Robert Krieps. A few months before his death in 1990, the LSAP politician was reportedly involved in an altercation with the archetypal French far-right. The paternal grandfather of actress Vicky Krieps was not, however, known for quickly coming to blows, quite the contrary. How could this incident have happened?
The scene took place in June 1990 in Strasbourg. Robert Krieps, then aged 68, ended his political career as an MEP. Jean-Marie Le Pen, a few years younger than the Luxembourg socialist, was also a member of the European Parliament at that time. Another actor in this drama: Nelson Mandela. While he was not yet president of South Africa, the latter had just been released from prison and had given a speech to the European Parliament. Le Pen, however, deliberately decided to ignore this historic speech from the canteen, as he had a rather positive opinion of the South African apartheid regime anyway.
I was incredibly proud of my father.
Tom Krieps (LSAP)
Son of Robert Krieps
After the meeting, Robert Krieps entered the restaurant and saw Jean-Marie Le Pen sitting there; and the situation deteriorated between the two politicians. The American magazine Newsweek had even spoken at the time of a “fight”.
“Your father is cool, he fought with Le Pen”
According to reports, it all started when Robert Krieps saw Jean-Marie Le Pen at a restaurant and said to him: “I hope Nelson Mandela’s speech hasn’t ruined your appetite.” At least that’s what the Belgian press agency reported Belgian. Le Pen, who apparently did not know who Robert Krieps was, then asked a waiter to take Robert Krieps out of the restaurant. “Who is this dog?” Jean-Marie Le Pen would have asked. According to the same news reports, the Belgian socialist José Happart intervened, but the situation continued to degenerate. According to NewsweekJean-Marie Le Pen allegedly spat on José Happart and a violent altercation broke out.
Robert Krieps was horrified that the National Front had boycotted the session. Mandela’s speech was also very moving.
Ben Fayot
Politicians of the LSAP and eyewitnesses
This story consolidated Robert Krieps’ reputation as a Luxembourg socialist legend, even beyond national borders. “I was in college at the time. The next morning, a university friend came up to me and said: ‘Your dad is cool, he fought with Le Pen.’ This is the memory of Tom Krieps, LSAP politician and son of Robert Krieps. “At first I had no idea what it was about. But then he told me about a ‘fight’ in the European Parliament. I was incredibly proud of my father.”
An eyewitness, Ben Fayot, raconte
Ben Fayot, who also sat in the European Parliament for the LSAP at the time, witnessed the event. However, he put into perspective the dramatic nature of what had been reported. “It was very impressive,” remembers Ben Fayot, born in 1937. Robert Krieps would have placed himself in front of the table of National Front deputies and would have spontaneously asked if Mandela’s speech had not ruined their appetite.
“It was provocative, but fair,” explains the father of the former Minister of the Economy, Franz Fayot (LSAP). However, there was no fight. The atmosphere certainly got heated quickly, but calmed down just as quickly. “Robert Krieps was horrified that the National Front had boycotted the session. Mandela’s speech was also very moving.”
Robert Krieps had already warned at the time against the rise of right-wing populists, adds Ben Fayot. “You have to be careful about it,” he repeated to his European colleagues.
This article was originally published on the website of Luxembourg word.
Adaptation: Thomas Berthol
