Green MEP Michèle Rivasi dies at the age of 70

The environmentalist MEP from Drôme, Michèle Rivasi, died following a heart attack at the age of 70, France Bleu Drôme Ardèche learned on Wednesday November 29 from the elected official’s entourage. She was 70 years old. Michèle Rivasi was a member of Europe Ecologie Les Verts and held several mandates in Drôme. An EELV European MP for 14 years, she was also a socialist deputy for Drôme from 1997 to 2002, general councilor between 2008 and 2009 and deputy to the socialist mayor of Valence Alain Maurice.

The elected official is also at the origin of the creation of Criirad (the Commission for independent research and information on radioactivity), following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on April 26, 1986. Associate professor of natural sciences, she then lived in Félines-sur-Rimandoule in Drôme. She has doubts about the theory of the radioactive cloud which stops at the border, takes samples from nature to analyze radioactivity residues, and founds Criirad to counter the State’s monopoly on these studies.

More recently, Michèle Rivasi made headlines for her controversial positions on vaccines. She is described as an anti-vaccine activist. During Covid-19, the elected official notably criticized the vaccination obligation for caregivers and the health pass.

“We mourn a great lady of political ecology”reacts Marine Tondelier, national secretary of Europe Écologie-Les Verts after the announcement of his death. “She was one of those tireless activists, friendly, authentic, accessible”greets Marine Tondelier who shares her “infinite sadness”. She addresses in the name of the party all her “thoughts of his family”.