According to La Nouvelle République, several members of parliament from diverse backgrounds have testified to the insults, suspicions, and discrimination they say they face in the National Assembly. The institution's vice-president, Nadège Abomangoli (LFI), recently decided to file a complaint after receiving a letter stating that "a Black woman has no place" in her position. While the MP claims to have "developed a thick skin" against these attacks, the impunity enjoyed by some of the perpetrators has prompted her to take legal action.
Beyond racist messages, several elected officials describe a more pervasive climate of microaggressions. Some report being mistaken for other Black members of parliament, taken for assistants, or forced to repeatedly prove their status by showing their badges. Hateful messages are also circulating on social media, targeting MPs Aly Diouara and Carlos Martens Bilongo in particular.
Different experiences depending on background and political affiliations
The testimonies gathered, however, reveal contrasting realities. Some elected officials say they feel relatively protected in the National Assembly, while others denounce an environment where stereotypes and social codes can reinforce feelings of exclusion. Political scientist Françoise Vergès also emphasizes the role of social class, noting that members of parliament from working-class backgrounds remain rare.
Tensions sometimes even spill over into the National Assembly chamber. In 2022, a speech by LFI (France Unbowed) MP Carlos Martens Bilongo was interrupted by a National Rally MP who shouted, "He should go back to Africa," sparking a heated controversy and disciplinary action. More broadly, several elected officials say they operate in a place marked by a history and symbols that still evoke a "white, male, and bourgeois" France.
For some members of parliament, the answer now lies in more visible political and legal action. Complaints have been filed and several convictions for racist cyberharassment have already been handed down.
