The scene promised to be historic. For the first time, an elected member of the National Rally (RN) had the opportunity, as dean of the National Assembly, to open the new legislature of the National Assembly, Tuesday, June 28. José Gonzalez, MP for Bouches-du-Rhône, took the opportunity to refer to his childhood, which he partly spent in Oran (Algeria), before Algerian independence.
In a brief speech, the pied-noir born in Oran evoked his native land to which he was ” snatch “. “I left part of my France and many friends there”to the independence of Algeria in 1962, he said, interrupting himself for a moment under the influence of emotion.
The leader of the environmental group, Julien Bayou, said to himself ” uneven “even though the Dean was “Cautious and spoke about his personal case”. “It’s really problematic. We did not applaud. » “The RN wants to show its credentials but it explodes from the first speech”commented his fellow MP EELV Sandrine Rousseau.
“We are true patriots”, says José Gonzalez
The president of the La France insoumise group, Mathilde Panot, accused the RN of doing “the apology of French Algeria and the crimes of colonization”. The “rebellious” Thomas Portes expressed his ” disgust “. “It was quite embarrassing”also judged the number one of the socialist party, Olivier Faure, in front of the press.
“We, the repatriated from Algeria (…), we left a part of France that we loved there. It was important to say that we loved France from there and that we love France from here. We are true patriots”justified José Gonzalez, 79, at the microphone of The Parliamentary Channel, in the room of the four columns. “I am not here to judge whether the OAS [Organisation de l’armée secrète] has committed crimes or not”he also told reporters.
In the rest of his more classic speech, José Gonzalez greeted a “symbol of French unity” in the gathering of all the deputies at the Palais-Bourbon, “a place of history” et “of hope”.
Acting RN President Jordan Bardella generally hailed a “moving and unifying speech (…). What a contrast with the scruffy zadist of LFI who refuses to shake hands with his opponents”. The former leader of the National Front, which has become National Rally, Jean-Marie Le Pen, intends to call Mr. Gonzalez to congratulate him and meet him, said his adviser Lorrain de Saint-Affrique, who welcomes a speech “of remarkable balance and finesse”.
The rules provide that the oldest member chairs the first session. Although this is a first for the National Front and the National Rally, a far-right elected official had already chaired the first session of a legislature. In 1986, an ally of the National Front, Edouard Frédéric-Dupont, opened the 8e legislature in place of Marcel Dassault, older but ill. José Gonzalez also paid tribute to these two political leaders.