French hard-left firebrand sparks row with ‘anti-Semitic’ Epstein jibe
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Founder of French left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party, Mr Jean-Luc Melenchon, rejected accusations of anti-Semitism, calling his comments “ironic”.
PHOTO: AFP
PARIS - France’s hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon has sparked new accusations of anti-Semitism after mocking the pronunciation of the name “Epstein” during a rally as calls grew on left-wing politicians on Feb 27 to break with the LFI leader.
The latest row involving the founder of the France Unbowed (LFI) party came ahead of municipal elections in March and the 2027 presidential vote.
In recent days Mr Melenchon has been under huge pressure over the death of an activist, and observers expect the far-right to benefit even more from the latest row.
Speaking at a gathering in the south-eastern city of Lyon on the evening of Feb 26, Mr Melenchon invoked the name of Jeffrey Epstein, after recent disclosures detailed the convicted sex offender’s extensive ties to the world’s rich and famous
“I wanted to say ‘Epstein’, sorry, it sounds more Russian, ‘Epsteen’,” said Mr Melenchon, a three-time presidential candidate expected to run again in elections in 2027.
“So now you’ll say Epsteen instead of Epstein, Franckensteen instead of Frankenstein,” he told a laughing audience.
The comments sparked outrage from across the political spectrum.
Mr Melenchon, 74, rejected accusations of anti-Semitism, calling his comments “ironic”.
President Emmanuel Macron shared a video of a recent speech he made condemning the “anti-Semitic hydra” that had crept into “every crack” of French society.
“This was 15 days ago”, he said.
“Jean-Luc Melenchon has crossed all boundaries,” said Mr Gabriel Attal, head of Mr Macron’s Renaissance party and former prime minister.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described Mr Melenchon’s remarks as “abject”, while Equality Minister Aurore Berge wrote on X that “anti-Semitism in France can be spelled out in three letters: L-F-I.”
Socialist lawmaker Laurence Rossignol condemned the comments as “the most terrifying anti-Semitism”.
“How many decades has it been since a politician made a room laugh by rattling off Jewish names, emphasising their pronunciation, with a sneer of hatred?“ Mr Rossignol said.
The leader of the far-right National Rally party, Mr Jordan Bardella, denounced Feb 26’s rally as a “brutal, chilling meeting with openly anti-Semitic overtones”.
‘Intolerable remarks’
Posting on X, Mr Yonathan Arfi, head of the French Jewish group Crif, said of Mr Melenchon’s quip : “To see this pronunciation as manipulation is a conspiracy theory with real anti-Semitic overtones.”
“It is no longer up to the rest of the left to banish LFI from the progressive camp,” said left-leaning newspaper Liberation.
“It is now up to France Unbowed to get rid of Jean-Luc Melenchon.”
Former Socialist president Francois Hollande said Mr Melenchon had made “the most intolerable anti-Semitic remarks.”
“Everyone must now draw their own conclusions,” he added.
Mr Melenchon sought to push back.
“The reaction of those who see this as anti-Semitism is appalling,” he said on X, arguing that it was a way of “deliberately inciting violence against LFI”.
The LFI and Mr Melenchon have faced accusations of failing to properly condemn the Oct 7, 2023 attacks
Mr Melenchon and his party have in recent days been under fire over the killing of far-right activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon.
The 23-year-old died following clashes between radical left and far-right supporters on the sidelines of a Feb 12 demonstration against a politician from Mr Melenchon’s party. AFP
