Posted: 16:41, November 3, 2022 | Updated: 16:49, November 3, 2022
France’s parliament was suspended today after a black MP was told to ‘go back to Africa!’ by a far-right opponent. Carlos Martens Bilongo, a 31-year-old of Congolese origin, was asking a question about climate change when he was verbally attacked on Thursday afternoon at the National Assembly in Paris. “Go back to Africa!” was heard from the chairs of the National Rally – the far-right party led by Marine Le Pen. Carlos Martens Bilongo, a 31-year-old of Congolese origin, was asking a question about climate change when he was verbally attacked on Thursday afternoon at the National Assembly in Paris. Photo: The National Assembly today The responsible vice-president, equivalent to the President, immediately asked: “Who is the member of parliament who said this sentence?” It is not possible.’ There were chances of ‘Out, out, out!’ from Mr. Bilongo’s colleagues from the left-wing party France Insoumis (France Unbowed). The culprit was later identified as Grégoire de Fournas, the 31-year-old National Rally MP for the Gironde department in southwestern France. It follows Ms Le Pen, pictured, who was runner-up in this year’s presidential election, as she vows to change the image of her notoriously racist party, which was called the National Front. Mr De Fournas immediately tried to explain himself by saying he was referring to an “African vessel” which was having difficulty “returning to port”. It follows Ms Le Pen, who was runner-up in this year’s presidential election, pledging to change the image of her notoriously racist party, which was called the National Front. It was founded by Ms Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is now a convicted racist and Holocaust denier.
