Prisca Thevenot, the French government spokeswoman who reported being attacked along with her staff, suspends her electoral campaign three days before the second round of the legislative elections. An “attack” that occurred yesterday evening, “during an activity of putting up electoral posters” in Meudon, where Thévenot is running for re-election. Kicks, punches and even a scooter were reportedly thrown.
The assault
A female worker was injured in the arm. A militant has a fractured jaw. In Le Parisien, which speaks of “high tension” in the final days of the election campaign, Thevenot said that “everything happened very quickly” around 8 p.m. When they noticed young people “defacing posters. We told them, without being aggressive in any way, that it is forbidden,” he reconstructed. And they immediately attacked one of the activists, grazing Virginie Lanlo.
The Nanterre prosecutor’s office announced that it had opened an investigation. Four people, including three minors, are under arrestreports Le Figaro.
In the post on X in which he announces the halt to the electoral campaign, Thevenot, “after the attack suffered yesterday with Virginia and our campaign staff”, thanks “the police and the firefighters”. “Thank you all for the support – he adds – Violence is never the answer. I am halting my electoral campaign on the field”.
Solidarity of leaders
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal immediately condemned the events. “Violence and intimidation have no place in our democracy,” he wrote in a post on X. “They have no place in our Republic.” “Full solidarity with the candidate and her staff,” he added. “We reject the climate of violence and hatred that is spreading.”
“Deeply shocked,” said Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné, also of Renaissance. “There is no place for violence,” he echoed Attal, “in our democracy.”
On Bfmtv, the leader of the Rassemblement National Jordan Bardella, who is aspiring to Attal’s post, expressed his “total support” for the government spokeswoman and called on all political leaders to appeal for “calm.”
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