Tensions flared in the French National Assembly on Tuesday when Sébastien Delogu, an MP from the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) group, raised a Palestinian flag during a parliamentary session. This act led to an immediate suspension of the session, and Delogu received a two-week suspension and a 50 percent wage deduction for two months, the highest possible sanction under the Assembly’s regulations. Delogu’s action occurred while Trade Minister Franck Riester was responding to a question on France’s stance on Palestinian statehood, with President Macron emphasizing support for a two-state solution but against recognition done in an “emotional” context.
The incident coincided with Spain, Ireland, and Norway’s formal recognition of Palestinian statehood, a move that angered Israel. The flag display led to a physical altercation and exchange of slurs between lawmakers, highlighting the deep divisions within French politics on this issue. Conservative MP Meyer Habib, representing French citizens in Mediterranean countries including Israel, clashed with LFI parliamentarian David Guiraud, who accused Habib of antisemitism following a heated exchange. Guiraud’s remarks were in response to Habib’s past statements calling Gaza’s population a “cancer.”
