French far-right MP De Fournas suspended for shouting 'Back to Africa' - BBC

A far-right MP has been fixed a 15-day prohibition from France's National Assembly for shouting "they should spell backmost to Africa" arsenic a achromatic workfellow talked astir immigration.

Grégoire de Fournas of National Rally (RN) said his remark had not been aimed astatine Carlos Martens Bilongo but astatine migrants trying to scope Europe by sea.

Mr Bilongo said helium had been calved successful France and the remark was "shameful".

MPs voted connected Friday to suspend him and dock fractional his allowance.

The determination is described arsenic the harshest authorisation disposable to the Assembly.

Mr Bilongo had been questioning the authorities astir a petition by the SOS Méditerranée non-governmental organisation for assistance successful uncovering a larboard for 234 migrants rescued astatine oversea successful caller days.

The nonstop meaning of the National Rally MP's remark is disputed, due to the fact that theoretically helium could person referred to much than 1 person. The authoritative relationship of the session recorded his off-microphone remark arsenic Qu'il retourne en Afrique - "he should spell backmost to Africa" - but the plural Qu'ils retournent en Afrique sounds precisely the same.

When Mr de Fournas made his remark, the Speaker, Yaël Braun-Pivet, demanded to cognize who had spoken. Then, arsenic MPs chanted "Out! Out! Out!", she suspended the session, declaring, "This is not possible."

Mr Bilongo, an MP from the the left-wing enactment France Unbowed (LFI), said: "Today it's travel backmost to the colour of my skin. I was calved successful France, I americium a French MP." Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said determination was "no country for racism" and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said the MP should resign.

Mr de Fournas was adamant helium had been referring to the "boat transporting migrants to Europe", and enactment person Marine Le Pen accused her governmental opponents of fabricating a vulgar outcry.

He aboriginal apologised to Mr Bilongo for "the misunderstanding" his comments had caused and if helium had been wounded by them.

LFI person Jean-Luc Mélenchon tweeted that the MP's comments were "beyond intolerable" and helium should beryllium kicked retired of the National Assembly.

Immigration featured prominently successful the RN's statesmanlike and parliamentary predetermination campaigns this year, with enactment person Marine Le Pen proposing a referendum connected large reductions successful migration if she became president.

In the parliamentary predetermination successful June, the enactment accrued its beingness successful the National Assembly tenfold, winning 89 seats.