It is a historic “family photo” for rebellious France. The 72 deputies of LFI returned to the National Assembly on Tuesday, two days after the second round of the legislative elections, and were joined for the occasion by their leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who left Parliament after having renounced his mandate as deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône.
In this photo, taken on the steps of the Palais-Bourbon, before they enter it, we see Jean-Luc Mélenchon surrounded by all the deputies of rebellious France, his fist raised or his fingers in a V, which has become a symbol of Nudes. We see familiar faces: Adrien Quatennens, Alexis Corbière, Clémentine Autain, François Ruffin, Mathilde Panot… But also new faces, like for example the former housekeeper Rachel Kéké. “When you see all these new faces arrive, it’s very emotional. We worked hard for five years, it is a great pleasure to see that this work allows us to grow, ”explained on BFMTV Clémentine Autain, re-elected on Sunday for a second term.
The New Popular Ecological and Social Union made a “back to school” in dispersed order in the National Assembly, with rebellious France on one side and the forces of the left on the other. The first tensions appeared on Monday after the rejection of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s proposal to create a single group in the National Assembly. Thus, the environmentalists led by Julien Bayou, who elected 23 deputies, also arrived at the National Assembly on Tuesday. That of rebellious France, however, remains the most impressive: in 2017, there were only 17 deputies from their ranks.