Insubordinate France announced on Wednesday that it had opened an internal investigation after accusations of sexual violence against controversial journalist Taha Bouhafs, who on Tuesday withdrew his candidacy for the legislative elections in Vénissieux in the Rhône, denouncing “unprecedented attacks”. This new twist comes as LFI has just unveiled almost all of its candidates out of the 328 constituencies allocated to it within the framework of the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) with the PS, EELV and the PCF. And also illustrates the tensions within this alliance.
The testimony relates to facts of “sexual violence”
The formation of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who should lift the suspense on his own possible candidacy in the 4th district of Marseille on Thursday evening, announced on Wednesday that his monitoring committee against sexual violence had been “seized” after a testimony “relating to alleged acts of sexual violence alleged against Taha Bouhafs”. He “was confronted” on Monday “with the charges” and warned that he may not obtain the nomination “due to the seriousness of the alleged facts”. The person concerned “made the choice to give up on his own”.
By withdrawing his candidacy on Tuesday, Taha Bouhafs explained that he had “weathered an unprecedented storm of attacks”, with “every day a new slander” against him. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, followed by many rebels, immediately denounced “a pack (which) fought hard” against the candidate.
A report that led Bouhafs to withdraw
In Mediapart, the journalist clarified on Wednesday that “the report was the last straw” which led him to withdraw. Saying Wednesday “to learn the accusations against Taha Bouhafs”, Jean-Luc Mélenchon tweeted: “The voice of women must be heard seriously. I am counting on the ad hoc commission of LFI to establish the truth”. The communist leader Fabien Roussel had asked Sunday to review the investiture of Taha Bouhafs, wishing it for the communist mayor of Vénissieux Michèle Picard, who says she is best placed to win the left.
But on Tuesday evening, LFI invested a new rebellious candidate, Idir Boumertit, deputy mayor of Vénissieux and former campaign director for Taha Bouhafs. According to Manuel Bompard, campaign director of the insoumis, of the 546 constituencies concerned by the agreement, there are “4, 5 or 6 tussles (…) but in more than 500 constituencies, things are going very well”. With the PS, which also broadcast Tuesday evening a first wave of 56 candidates invested in the 70 constituencies reserved for it, it gets stuck in particular in the 15th constituency of Paris.
The PS wants to recover the nomination in the constituency
The Socialists wanted it for outgoing MP Lamia El Aaraje. But the agreement concluded with forceps reserved it for LFI, which appointed Paris elected official Danielle Simonnet on Tuesday evening. Lamia El Aaraje immediately announced her own candidacy. Such dissidence should lead to his ousting from the PS, but the party, which denounces an “injustice” on this investiture, could turn a blind eye, according to a socialist executive. The Paris federation of the PS has officially called to vote for her.
The PS is in reality likely to face many dissidents, disappointed not to have been invested. Party spokesman Pierre Jouvet warns that they will be “de facto automatically” excluded, and calls on them to “rediscover a sense of responsibility”. But the PS has itself invested reluctant candidates in the Nupes, such as the outgoing deputy for Meurthe-et-Moselle Dominique Potier or the patron saint of its deputies Valérie Rabault (Tarn-et-Garonne).
Other rebellious candidates are controversial
The Nupes agreement also seems to be wavering in the 7th constituency in the North, this time with EELV, which announced a few days ago the investiture of one of its own, Karima Chouia. But LFI invested Magali Druon on Tuesday evening. EELV claims not to let go of its candidate: “no possible alternative”.
After the Taha Bouhafs case, other candidates invested by LFI are starting to be controversial, such as Louis Boyard (Val-de-Marne), 21, who admitted on C8 a few months ago to have “dealed” to pay for his studies. . At the PS, it is the outgoing deputy Jérôme Lambert, whose name does not appear in the first invested, who is in turmoil, criticized by EELV and LFI in particular for his vote against marriage for all.