Lecornu accuses left-wing MPs of 'playing the RN's game' after walkout during Trappes attack exchange in National Assembly

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu accused left-wing MPs on Tuesday 27 October of “recel politicien” (roughly, “political receiving”, meaning profiting politically) over the Trappes attack, after Socialist and Ecologist deputies walked out of the National Assembly during questions to the government, AFP and HuffPost France reported.

The session opened with a minute’s silence for the victims of Friday’s shootings in Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, which the interior minister has called a “terrorist, racist” attack.

Sébastien Chenu, the new head of the National Rally (RN) group, who replaced Marine Le Pen in the post for the presidential campaign, then criticised what he called the “minables récupérations politicardes” (“pathetic political exploitation”) of opponents who linked the RN’s statements about Trappes to the gunman’s actions. He also spoke of a “fake news contest” started by Le Monde and amplified by the left. Some left-wing deputies walked out in protest.

What Lecornu said

Replying, Lecornu said that after past terrorist attacks there had been “a reflex of republican unity”. Turning to the left-wing benches, he said: “Seeing this spectacle, in which everything smells of the presidential campaign morning, noon and night, everything smells of political receiving, marks a form of indignity.” He added: “Believing you are fighting racism, you are playing the game of the far right, the RN.”

He said the “particularly nauseating atmosphere” of the session boded “nothing good for the weeks and months ahead”, and called for a fight against “any form of racism”, antisemitism and discrimination. Le Monde reported that he also denounced “people who carry speeches that end up arming others who act”.

France’s presidential election is due in about six months.

See also: Trappes attack: prosecutor says suspect’s custody resumed.