Demonstrations: MP Marcangeli suggests making LFI pay for damage

The boss of Horizons deputies Laurent Marcangeli suggested that La France insoumise contribute financially to reimburse the damage caused by the demonstrations in which the radical left movement is participating, judging them to be “in solidarity with the thugs”, in an interview with Radio J broadcast on Sunday. The violence and looting that occurred on October 17, on the sidelines of demonstrations against the high cost of living, have fueled political debates in recent days, in the run-up to the examination in the Senate of the so-called “killers-pays” bill.

In this interview recorded on Friday, before the new day of mobilization, Laurent Marcangeli affirmed that LFI was the “legal showcase of the ultra-left”, believing that Jean-Luc Mélenchon was participating in a “very insurrectional” situation, which could, according to him, present characteristics of “civil war”. He also criticized Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI group in the Assembly, for not having condemned the fire at Limoges town hall when she was questioned on this subject by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

Asked about the possibility of making LFI contribute financially when rebellious deputies participate in demonstrations which degenerate, Laurent Marcangeli estimated that we should “perhaps ask the question” of using “the public allocation” of the movement to reimburse the damage. “If you are in solidarity with the thugs, since this is obviously the case, you just have to participate in the repairs with your public allocations,” he said, stressing that LFI received more than 4 million euros per year, “money that comes from our taxes”. Political parties benefit each year from financial aid from the State, half calculated based on their results in legislative elections and the other half based on the number of parliamentarians attached to them. Asked whether this idea could be the subject of a bill, he replied: “maybe, why not”.

On October 27, the Senate will examine a government bill called “breakers-pays”, inspired by the principle defended by Gabriel Attal “you break, you repair”. This text aims in particular to make it possible to incur the civil liability of participants in violent gatherings, even when they have not personally committed the damage.