A new controversy.
Guest of BFMTV Thursday morning, Jean-Luc Mélenchon was questioned on the supposed "anti-Semitism" of Eric Zemmour, putative candidate for the Elysee.
A trial that the leader of France Insoumise rejected, with an argument that exposed him to very strong criticism.
"
It reproduces a lot of cultural scenarios (of Judaism):" we do not change anything in the tradition, we do not move, oh my god, creolization what a horror ... "And all that, these are traditions which are very much linked to the Judaism.
It has its merits, it has allowed it to survive in history ...
", saw fit to plead the LFI deputy from the South-East.
How for him to compare the assimilationism defended by the polemicist with a conservatism which would be intrinsic, even constitutive of Judaism.
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Some twenty-four hours after this outing, the co-secretary of the EELV section of the Rhône unearthed on Friday morning on Twitter a video of the extract in question. Which was immediately taken up by many politicians. Starting with the boss of LREM deputies, Christophe Castaner.
“I have long seen in Jean-Luc Mélenchon what he was: republican, defender of our common values. But with these words with the most abject references, he crossed the last limits. Nothing, ever, justifies sinking into anti-Semitism,
”vituperates the former Minister of the Interior. Sentiment shared by the socialist Pierre Moscovici, first president of the Court of Auditors, who criticizes an
"absurd, ignorant and ambiguous remark"
.
The all-rounder according to him by Jean-Luc Mélenchon
"in search of a mirror effect conducive to all outbidding."
An "absurd, ignorant and ambiguous statement"
In the ranks of the National Rally, finally, it is the MEP Gilbert Collard who stepped up to the plate, believing that
“the worst of the worst
” had just “
been said
” by the Insubordinate.
Faced with these accusations, Jean-Luc Mélenchon was quick to reply. The presidential candidate posted a long post on Facebook. He believes that
"on every occasion the accusation of anti-Semitism comes back like a refrain against (him) by the same haters (...) Without foundation, without argument, all about and especially irrelevant. Until nausea
”
. “I have since been credited with having located the origin of Zemmour's far-right ideas in Judaism. It's stupidity! ”He
continues. Before recognizing that it is
"poorly expressed since (he) has given rise to interpretations which are the opposite of what (he) thinks."
"
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Relatives of the presidential candidate also quickly stepped up to denounce an alleged "Mélenchon Bashing".
"There are enough anti-Semites to fight not to invent new ones",
annoyed Manuel Bompard, campaign director of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
He
“has always firmly fought anti-Semitism.
Take a closer look at his struggles over the years.
Read our program.
You will see our consistency in the fight against this poison that is anti-Semitism, ”
said Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI group at the National Assembly.