The French parliament suspended a left-wing deputy for displaying a Palestinian flag during a heated debate on the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Sébastien Delogu, a parliament member from the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) party representing Marseille, raised the flag during a government questioning session.
Parliament Speaker Yaël Braun-Pivet condemned his actions as unacceptable, leading lawmakers to vote for his two-week suspension and a reduction of his parliamentary allowance by half for two months.
As Delogu exited the lower chamber making a V-sign for victory, right-wing and centrist lawmakers applauded the sanctions imposed on him.
His suspension coincided with Spain, Ireland, and Norway formally recognizing Palestinian statehood, a move that has angered Israel. This brings the total to 145 out of the 193 U.N. member states that have recognized a Palestinian state.
However, none of the Group of Seven industrial powers – including France, the United Kingdom, and the United States – have done so.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated in February that recognizing a Palestinian state was no longer “taboo.” Yet, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, during Tuesday’s session in the lower house, sidestepped a question from another LFI parliament member about whether France would soon follow its European allies in this recognition.
The recent Gaza conflict has heightened tensions in France, which hosts the largest Jewish community outside Israel and the United States, as well as Europe’s largest Muslim community. Israeli attacks in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 36,096 people, predominantly civilians.
