A political movement in full doubt. Since the publication by the Quatennens couple of a press release requesting respect for her “private life”, in reaction to the revelation in the chained duck of the deposit of a handrail by the wife of the national coordinator of the movement, rebellious France is in a state of shock.
However, the first signs had been noticed internally. “We had trouble contacting him, it was bad, we knew he was in the middle of a divorce but we didn’t know about the rest,” confesses a deputy.
“Nobody could have imagined that,” adds a member of the movement who describes Adrien Quatennens as “closed as an oyster.”
“As of Tuesday-Wednesday, some executives knew that it was not going to be sustained… Several of them suggested that outcome (his withdrawal, editor’s note) that, as far as I know, did not generate any resistance on their part,” says an LFI deputy in BFMTV. As of Saturday night, his withdrawal was recorded.
“It’s anything!”
But the next day, five days after the revelations of the chained Duck, Adrien Quatennens publishes another press release, in which he admits to having slapped his partner.
A text released without prior notice to the General Staff of rebellious France, which continues to cause some tension. “It’s a personal statement even less validated by a political authority. He’s carefree, he’s completely alone…” explained an elected official.
“This letter you are making is nonsense!”, another abounds.
No willingness to omerta in this matter, indicates LFI that publishes the same day a concise press release in which the movement welcomes this withdrawal and reiterates “its unwavering commitment to the fight against violence against women.”
Melenchon’s malaise
It is the tweets of Jean-Luc Mélenchon that will really divide the rebels. Some share his position and greet on Twitter “the courage”, the “honesty” or even the “dignity” of Adrien Quatennens to take a step back. Others like Clémentine Autain or Manon Aubry distance themselves from his statements. But few members of the movement dare to criticize the leader.
“Do you think that if he made a second tweet it was because he was happy with the first?” Justifies an LFI parliamentarian. “His first tweet of him is not shameful, it’s just incomplete…” adds another party member.
LFI MP for Dordogne Pascale Martin was one of the few who specifically addressed Jean-Luc Mélenchon in a press release, judging “insufficient and unacceptable” the rebel leader’s reactions.
Three hours passed between the first and second tweet from Jean-Luc Mélenchon where he finally evokes an “unacceptable slap”. But within three hours, the discomfort began. And the embarrassment is palpable during the LFI group’s back-to-school press conference at the National Assembly.
Mathilde Panot responded tersely, referring journalists to the France Insoumise press release. Before a moment’s hesitation during the reporters’ reminders, no one knew who was going to speak. This press conference continues to be a failure that some MEPs regret.
“We were not sufficiently prepared. This press conference was a disaster”, admits a parliamentarian.
Many point in particular to the initiative to send only women parliamentarians from the group to answer questions on the subject.
Adrien Quatennens is already missing
The movement now wants to look to the future, with a return to parliament in sight. But the heart is not necessarily there.
“Everyone is shocked, it’s human. That the coordinator of the movement is someone who has committed an assault, domestic violence, that can only shudder. A slap is a slap, it is not to trivialize”, confesses the deputy of LFI Danielle Simonnet.
“Adrien was the machine that we all knew, the best spokesman, the most effective, the one with the most chiseled verb. The fact that he is no longer a spokesperson affects our abilities as a movement to fight Emmanuel’s measures. Macron “, regrets Raquel Garrido, deputy of LFI, specifying that she nevertheless wanted him to withdraw.
The discomfort is also palpable among the new deputies, far from the hard core of rebellious France.
“It is an episode that we live badly, it is painful. It embodies many things for the militants…” explains one of them.
“It is good that the LFI space coordination felt he should be put on hold. He can no longer speak on our behalf at the moment. We must express our full solidarity with the victims.”, adds Danielle Simonnet, insisting on the need to train more members of the movement and not only.
Ironically, this Thursday, September 22, within the framework of the parliamentary sessions of the LFI group, two hours of training on the prevention of sexist and sexual violence are organized for deputies. An appointment stalled long before the release of the Quatennens case.
Source: BFM TV
