New controversy in the Assembly. It is the LFI deputy for Hauts-de-Seine Aurélien Saintoul who is talking about him this Monday afternoon. At the microphone, the elected official called the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt “impostor” but also “murderer”, to the point that the session once again had to be suspended. The elected official made these remarks in reference to the increase in deaths linked to accidents at work in recent years, linked according to him to measures taken by the majority, such as the integration of the missions of the CHSCT into those of the CSE.
At the perch in the absence of the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet, the Vice-President Sébastien Chenu called for responsibility, before giving the floor to the President of the Renaissance group Aurore Bergé. We can in no way treat Minister Olivier Dussopt as an assassin within the confines of this hemicycle, she explained, saying she wanted to affirm it “as calmly as possible”. The elected official then added that obviously, the assembly “provided human support” to set the limits of what is acceptable. Aurore Bergé called on the Nupes group leaders to distance themselves from the comments made by Aurélien Saintoul, before demanding an apology from the latter. Aurore Bergé then indicated that she was not asking for the meeting of the Bureau of the Assembly to be convened so that the debates could continue.
In the process, it was the boss of the socialist group Boris Vallaud who stood up, calling for serenity and “the mastery of each and everyone”, without specifically targeting Aurélien Saintoul. The much firmer words against Aurélien Saintoul. “The democratic debate is an exchange of ideas, not an exchange of insults, for his part condemned much more firmly the deputy André Chassaigne, at the head of the GDR group, also a member of Nupes.
Saintoul presents his “apologies”, Dussopt hears them without forgiving
Marine Le Pen continued by supporting Olivier Dussopt on behalf of the National Rally group in the Assembly, adding that in politics, there were no enemies, only adversaries. “The words we have heard call for an apology but also a sanction within the framework of the police power which is yours, Mr. President, abounds the leader of the LR group Olivier Marleix.
After these speeches, the deputy Aurélien Saintoul finally apologized to the Minister of Labour, adding that he had made a mistake and saying that he was at the disposal of the minister to have a “more personal discussion” with him.
The floor, before the resumption of the debates, finally returned to Olivier Dussopt, to the applause of many elected officials. “I have a great honor to sit in this hemicycle since 2007, in opposition and in the majority. I have always considered that verbal or physical violence has no place in political life. The words can be sharp, the challenge strong and basically I prefer the most arduous debates (…) Sir, I hear your apologies, they have the merit of being presented and they allow the debate to continue”. Olivier Dussopt says he heard Aurélien Saintoul’s apologies, without forgiving them. The intervention of the rebellious deputy was recorded in the minutes, it will be up to Yaël Braun-Pivet to decide on any follow-up later.