Parliamentarians become the target of demonstrations in France

PARIS.- Almost three months after the beginning of
Demonstrations against the government in France, parliamentarians also became the subject of the street fury, including the President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, whose house suffered an attempted crackdown. ;fire.

The attack was discovered Friday but would have occurred several days ago in a lawmaker's second home located in Montreff, in the region of Brittany (west of the country).

While the police undertook to conduct a special investigation, the incident against the property of Ferrand, the fourth in line with the presidential successions, received the solidarity of the entire French political clbad.

"Nothing legitimizes the violence or intimidation of a person elected in the republic," said the president.
Emmanuel Macron, against which social events are centered.

Support for Ferrand has even come from beyond the political sphere. The leader of the CFDT union center, Laurent Berger, called for "condemnation" acts whose sole purpose is to "strike democracy".

Prosecutor Jean-Phillipe Recap said that until now no one has claimed responsibility for the fire or "there is nothing to link this fact to any group". But the incident is part of a string of violent acts and threats against members of the pro-government bloc, since cholera protesters took to the streets in November last year. a movement that has become known as the "yellow jacket".

According to the information of the French Parliament, between 50 and 60 legislators of the ruling party, La Republica en Marcha, have already been victims of threats or attacks. Even some of them have subsequently benefited from temporary protection. At protests last Saturday, residences of at least three pro-government legislators were damaged.

"After the attack on a ministry, the damage done to parliamentary residences, hate speech and racism against MPs, where will they go against lawmakers," said pro-government MP Sandrine Morch.

More than 50,000 "yellow vests" have been mobilized today throughout France. As on other occasions, there were incidents and acts of violence in Paris, particularly around the National Assembly, in which a protester was seriously wounded by hand.

The "yellow vests" have multiple demands, ranging from an improvement in purchasing power to greater social and fiscal justice, through a more horizontal democracy or the demand for referendums of citizens.

AFP and ANSA agencies