French lawmaker accused of racist comment in Parliament

A far-right lawmaker in France was accused of racism Thursday after he responded to a Black lawmaker’s question about migrants stranded at sea.

A far-right lawmaker in France was criticized Thursday after he responded to a Black lawmaker’s question about migrants stranded at sea by apparently saying, “Let them return to Africa.”

Gregoire de Fournas of the National Rally party made the comment in the National Assembly. The president of the lower house of the French Parliament, Yaël Braun-Pivet, subsequently suspended the legislative session.

De Fournas spoke while Carlos Martens Bilongo of the leftist France Unbowed party was challenging French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist government over a maritime rescue boat that is carrying hundreds of passengers in the Mediterranean Sea and has not received an assigned port to bring them to.

Charities helping the migrants have appealed to the French government to take them in or help find a solution. The French authorities have not yet responded.

Braun-Pivet said the comment in parliament would be investigated on Friday.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/french-lawmaker-accused-racist-comment-parliament-rcna55622

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