Explanations were expected. The lawyer of the Insoumis Adrien Quatennens spoke on BFMTV this Tuesday morning, the day after the opening of an investigation by the Lille prosecutor’s office for suspicion of domestic violence against the deputy from the North.
With his press release acknowledging the facts, the deputy carried out a “truth exercise (…) because he had to impose on himself the example he asks of others”, defended his lawyer on the continuous news channel. . But “the scenario of a man who was violent at the announcement of a divorce is not reality,” assured Me Dousselin. “We are on a couple who are in tension”, admitted the lawyer, but “who is not at war”. The slap “after 13 years of living together does not define it”, she continued, refusing to speak of “domestic violence”. Céline Quatennens, for her part, did not speak publicly.
Adrien Quatennens is “in a complicated state of mind”, he wants “to be able to resume his activity and his life”, described Me Dousselin. Regarding his role as a deputy, “the parliamentary immunity card will not be used” by the elected representative from the North, assured the lawyer. She also indicated that her client had not yet been heard by the prosecutor.
An embarrassing reaction
Last week, Le Canard enchaîné revealed that the wife of the deputy Insoumis du Nord had filed a handrail against him for acts of domestic violence. Sunday, in a statement posted on Twitter, Adrien Quatennens announced his withdrawal from the coordination of La France insoumise.
He acknowledged violent “disputes” since his wife’s announcement of his desire to divorce, specifying, for example, having “grabbed his wrist” during one of them. He also admitted having “gave him a slap”, “a year ago”, “in a context of extreme tension and mutual aggression”. An investigation has since been opened by the Lille prosecutor’s office.
These revelations created some embarrassment within La France insoumise, in particular due to the reaction of Jean-Luc Mélenchon who, at first, had only a word of support for Adrien Quatennens, without mentioning the alleged victim.