Mélenchon under fire. Death of far-right Antifa activist shakes French politics

Probable French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the far-left France Insubmissa party, is facing harsh criticism after a far-right activist was beaten to death outside a university in Lyon.

The former Euro-deputy and leader of França Insubmissa Jean-Luc Mélenchonwho was a three-time radical left candidate for president, is facing fierce criticism from his political opponents after an activist was beaten to death.

The incident occurred near a university in Lyon, France’s third largest city, where a conference was taking place in the presence of one of Mélenchon’s most prominent allies.

The activist, Quentin Deranque23 years old, got involved in a confrontation at the door of the Institute of Political Studies, at Sciences Po Lyon University, where the Franco-Palestinian MEP and activist was participating Rima Hassanand was violently attacked.

Hassan is one of most prominent members of França Insubmissaand a polarizing figure in France due to his positions on Israel and the Palestinian State, notes . In 2024, Hassan was interrogated by French police for “”.

Deranque died in hospital due to a head trauma. Several far-right and ultra-right groups mourn his death and organize demonstrations to honor his memory.

A Nemesisa French femonationalist organization, stated on the social network X that Deranque was on site to help ensure the group’s safety while it protested the event.

The Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñezdeclared this Monday that members of the Young Guard (Jovem Guarda), a local anti-fascist group with links to França Insubmissa, appear to have been involved in the incident.

Jovem Guarda was co-founded in Lyon in 2018 by Raphaël Arnaultcurrently deputy for França Insubmissa, to combat the widespread presence of radical far-right groups in the city.

The Ministry of the Interior ordered the group’s dissolution in Juneclaiming that “in defense of an anti-fascist ideology, ‘the Jovem Guarda’ incites violent acts”. But Jovem Guarda is challenge this decision in court with the support of França Insubmissa and organizations defending civil liberties.

One of Arnault’s advisors, Jacques-Elie Favrotdenied accusations that he was involved in Deranque’s death, but stated that he would step back from his political role while authorities investigate the incident.

The President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivetdeclared that Favrot’s access to parliament was being suspended. Laurent Nuñez declined to confirm reports of Favrot’s involvement when asked about the matter during an interview on Monday.

The critics blamed Mélenchon’s uncompromising rhetoric for promoting a more polarized political scenarioalthough sometimes without pointing out concrete examples.

His Mélenchon supporters counter that the leader of the far-left party Repeatedly calls for a non-violent “civic revolution” through elections and not confrontational.

Nuñez stated in his interview that “radicalism not speech” could lead to “violence in the streets”, while the Minister of Justice, Gerald Darmaninattributed the attack on Sunday to “political rhetoric, particularly that of França Insubmissa and the ultra-left”.

The Government spokesperson, Maud Bregeondeclared that França Insubmissa had a “moral responsibility” for fostering a “climate of violence”.

During a rally on Sunday in support of a local candidate in Montpellier, Mélenchon expressed “empathy for young Quentin’s family” and stated that “for França Insubmissa, non-violence is a fundamental philosophical choice. Violence atrophies our movements and brings fear that spreads.”

Hassan declared on Friday that she was “horrified” upon learning of the attack on Deranque. “Whenever I travel, the only security service I work with and that accompanies me is França Insubmissa, which never resorts to violence and which is in no way involved in these clashes,” he added.

The French President, Emmanuel Macronreacted to Deranque’s death by publishing on the X network: “in a republic, no cause, no ideology can ever justify killing”, without targeting any particular group or political party.

In an interview recorded before Deranque’s death, Macron said he believed the Unsubmissive France was an “extreme left” movementa designation that has been contested by the party and others on the left, as well as some political scientists, and that some of its positions “contradicted the values ​​of the republic.”

Between aces rare voices of support for Mélenchon include those of the environmentalist deputy Sandrine Rousseauwho stated that França Insubmissa was the victim of a “cabal”, and of Michel-Edouard Leclercan influential supermarket chain executive occasionally mentioned as a potential future presidential candidate.

“Jean-Luc Mélenchon is vehement, but not violent“, declared Leclerc. “We cannot hold him responsible for the death of this activist.”