A rally against the far-right, organized by French leftist party La France Insoumise (LFI) and Green parties in Paris on April 6, 2025. KIRAN RIDLEY / AFP
France's hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party said on Thursday, April 2, that several of its Black MPs, including one of its speakers, had received a racist letter and accused the government of failing to combat "discrimination" faced by people of color every day. It comes after Bally Bagayoko, the new LFI mayor of the French capital's largest suburb, Saint-Denis, became the target of a far-right hate campaign after being elected last month.
Read more Racist backlash against newly elected French officials
Several MPs, including Nadège Abomangoli, vice-president of the Assemblée Nationale, had received letters depicting "Black people in a dehumanizing and primitive manner," LFI said. The letter also mentioned Bagayoko, LFI said, adding: "Such a racist, anti-Black attack is absolutely unacceptable and calls for unanimous condemnation from the entire political class."
The French government this week threw its weight behind Bagayoko, who was born in France to Malian parents. The 52-year-old has been targeted by an online hate campaign as well as controversial remarks aired on CNews, a channel often described as France's version of Fox News.
