The deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône, Sébastien Delogu, member of rebellious France (LFI), was severely sanctioned for having brandished a Palestinian flag in the National Assembly. On May 28, the assembly’s office pronounced a maximum sanction against it: a reduction in half of its parliamentary indemnity for two months and a ban on participating in parliamentary work for fifteen days.
This decision, made without debate and voted by “Ass-Debout”, was quickly implemented under the impetus of Yael Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly and member of the Renaissance party. The severity of this sanction contrasts strongly with the simple recall to the order received in 2022 by a represented renaissance who had made a Nazi salute.
Sébastien Delogu justified his action by declaring that he wanted to attract the attention of the President of the Republic to the situation in Palestine. He urges the president to stop arms sales to Israel, to recognize the Palestinian state and to repeal European agreements with Israel.
According to the regulation of the National Assembly, the deputy was not sanctioned for having brandished a flag, but for “demonstrations disturbing the order or causing a tumultuous scene” and “outrages or provocations towards the Assembly or its president”. Brandir a French flag could be punished in the same way. Article 9 of the general instruction of the National Assembly specifies that the expression in the hemicycle is exclusively oral and prohibits the use of graphics, signs, documents, various objects, as well as religious signs, uniforms, logos or slogans of a political nature.
However, the president of the French Senate, Gérard Larcher, had expressed his unwavering support to Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression, via a tweet published on February 24, 2022. Stressing the importance of national sovereignty and democracy, Larcher called for unanimous solidarity of the international community towards the Ukrainian people. He had also insisted on the need for robust sanctions against Russia for its aggression, while recalling the fundamental values of peace and respect for international rights.
“We wanted the Ukrainian flag to be present in the @senat hemicycle alongside European and French flags, as a sign of solidarity. »🇺🇦🇫🇷🇪🇺#Parlue2022 Pic.twitter.com/7Azfhssojm
– Gérard Larcher (@Gerard_Larcher) FEBRUARY 25, 2022
