‘Shameful’ – French MP shouts ‘go back to Africa’

A far-right MP bought the French parliament to a halt after he shouted “They should go back to Africa” as a black colleague talked about immigration. 

Grégoire de Fournas, a member of RN, said his remark was not aimed at Carlos Martens Bilongo but instead about migrants trying to reach Europe by sea. 

Mr Bilongo called the remark “shameful” whilst PM Elisabeth Borne said there was “no room for racism.” 

The National Assembly’s bureau will meet on Friday to decide on the “necessary sanction.” 

When the far-right de Fournas made his remark, the speaker demanded to know who had spoken. Then, as MPs chanted “Out! Out! Out!”, the speaker suspected the session, declaring, “This is not possible.” 

Mr Bilongo, a left-wing MP said: “Today it’s come back to the colour of my skin. I was born in France, I am a French MP.”

De Fournas later apologised to him for “the misunderstanding” his comments had caused.