At the call of different collectives or political parties, like the New Anticapitalist Party (NPA) of Philippe Poutou, rallies were organized in several cities in France on Tuesday January 7 to celebrate the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen. Fireworks, champagne, songs: images of jubilation made the rounds on social networks and continuous news channels. And don't have more to everyone. “Death, even the enemy has the right to respect”launched government spokesperson Sophie Primas during the report of the Council of Ministers at the beginning of the afternoon, using a formula from… Jean-Marie Le Pen. The founder of the National Front (FN) used it after the death in 2019 of Jacques Chirac.
The former LR senator from Yvelines nevertheless clarified that Jean-Marie Le Pen had, during his political career, “completely unacceptable comments” et “acted in sometimes unacceptable ways”.
These same criticisms had already been made by other members of the government, including Bruno Retailleau in a message published on X. “The death of a man, even a political opponent, should inspire only restraint and dignity”castigated the right-wing Minister of the Interior, calling it “shameful” these images of jubilation. Criticisms supported by the Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, guest of Europe 1 and CNews. “We must continue the political fight with the living but we must respect the dead. It’s a matter of dignity I think”estimated the former UMP.
“Giant aperitifs”
Less virulent than the government, the deputy Jérôme Guedj did not enjoy this party either. “I found it rubbish”reacted the elected socialist from Essonne, guest of the Public Senate morning this Wednesday. Although he recalls having always fought Jean-Marie Le Pen and his ideas, he does not support these festivities. “I think it takes a certain greatness of soul to be able not to rejoice at the death of any man.believes the socialist. I find it pointless to rejoice at the death of a man, I also find it pointless to sugarcoat his journey. He is not a great figure in political life.” A direct criticism aimed at François Bayrou, who used these words to describe the former far-right leader, several convicted for “contestation of crime against humanity”.
Another story from the left on TF1 this Wednesday morning. Without relaying these calls to celebrate the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, Mathilde Panot, leader of the rebellious deputies, defended these “giant aperitifs”invoking, like other Mélenchonists since Tuesday evening, “the Charlie spirit”. “It doesn’t shock me”commented the MP for Val-de-Marne, in turn criticizing the tributes paid by François Bayrou and Bruno Retailleau. “Mr Jean-Marie Le Pen is not just a political adversary as was said by Mr Retailleau or even a great figure in French political life as was said by Mr Bayrou. He is an enemy of the Republic.”she got annoyed.
Unsurprisingly, most of the criticism against these festive gatherings has come from the far right. Images that “makes you nauseous” for Eric Ciotti, who had greeted, the day before, the «courage» and the “sincere patriotism” of the former torturer in Algeria, summarizing his twenty convictions to “gray areas”. However, he demanded the exclusion of Le Pen-father from the National Front in 2015, after the former far-right candidate had maintained that the gas chambers were “a detail of history”. On TF1, the party's first vice-president Louis Aliot also vigorously attacked these rallies. “I am very wary of these spontaneous manifestations of hatred, over the death of a man, over the death of a Frenchman, over the death of a patriot”he said. Since the launch of these “aperitifs” to celebrate the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, Philippe Poutou and the NPA have not reacted or republished images of these festivities.
Updated: at 2:16 p.m., with comments from the government spokesperson following the council of ministers.
