The deputy Adrien Quatennens announced Sunday, September 18 to withdraw from his function of coordinator within La France insoumise, after the revelations, published in the press, on the filing by his wife of a handrail against him. The Lille prosecutor’s office confirmed to franceinfo, Monday, September 19, that an investigation had indeed been opened for domestic violence.
1What is reproached to Adrien Quatennens?
Céline Quatennens, the wife of the 32-year-old deputy, did not speak publicly. The chosen one, he described the facts which could be reproached to him in a press release published on social networks on Sunday. He declares that he is not aware of the contents of the daybook filed by his wife. But the chosen one describes a context of tensions in which his wife expressed her wish to divorce.
He admits having him first “grab the wrist” during a first argument. During another, she would have “bump the elbow” trying to retrieve his cell phone, which he had in his hands. Adrien Quatennens also mentions “another fact dated a year ago, where, in a context of extreme tension and mutual aggression, I gave a slap”. A gesture “which never reproduced”he assures.
Hello everyone, after the events of this week and for the sake of transparency and appeasement, here is my official statement. pic.twitter.com/ykwswNB4F5
— Adrien Quatennens (@AQuatennens) September 18, 2022
2How was the case revealed?
This is an article from chained duck who disclosed the affair on September 13. The Quatennens couple took the lead by sharing a press release a few hours before the publication of the satirical weekly. In this text, they deplore the media coverage of the case and assure that Céline Quatennens has filed a handrail “by specifying to the police officers who heard her that she did not wish to file a complaint or that there be legal consequences and that she demanded that the information not be found in the press”.
3Are there any lawsuits?
The deputy from the North has not yet been heard by the police. But the Lille prosecutor’s office confirmed to franceinfo on Monday that an investigation had indeed been opened into suspicions of domestic violence, although no complaint had been filed. “The prosecution regularly decides to launch an investigation”, he explains, highlighting his proactive criminal policy to deal with this type of facts. Notably “when the facts seem to him to merit it”. Adrien Quatennens, for his part, affirmed that he was at the disposal of justice and reserved “any additional details on the context” which he refuses to make public.
4How did La France insoumise react?
The decision of Adrien Quatennens to step back from his role as coordinator of La France insoumise “has been taken in consultation with the authorities of the movement and will be followed by the provisions necessary for the good animation of our movement”the far-left party said in a statement released on Sunday, September 18.
Similarly, MP Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI group in the National Assembly, described the choice of Adrien Quatennens as “just and wise” in the program “Le Grand Jury” broadcast on RTL, Le Figaro and LCI. If most of the personalities of La France insoumise welcome the exercise of transparency in which Adrien Quatennens has engaged, they also highlight the work of their party to tackle violence against women.
“The important person here is Céline Quatennenssaid MP Raquel Garrido on franceinfo. We have to show that we listened to what she said. To the point that Adrien Quatennens steps back.”
Adrien Quatennens: “I have never seen a politician do an exercise in total transparency on facts of domestic violence”, greets Raquel Garridohttps://t.co/Kbil2steIT pic.twitter.com/oAgTTrdaAa
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) September 18, 2022
5What did Jean-Luc Mélenchon say?
“Adrien decides to take everything on himself. I salute his dignity and his courage. I tell him of my trust and my affection”, reacted Jean-Luc Mélenchon on Twitter. An exit very criticized within the political class, including on the left.
Police malice, media voyeurism, social networks were invited in the conflictual divorce of Adrien and Céline Quatennens. Adrien decides to take it all on himself. I salute his dignity and his courage. I tell him my confidence and my affection.
— Jean-Luc Melenchon (@JLMelenchon) September 18, 2022
This sentence aroused misunderstanding even within the Nupes alliance. “This tweet must come from another world. A world where Adrien Quatennens has not just published a press release acknowledging violence, including physical violence against his wife”annoyed the environmentalist senator Mélanie Vogel.
The socialist Luc Broussy also described the reaction of the leader of LFI as “lamentable”. According to him, it reveals “his inability to endorse the leadership of a modern, humanist and feminist left”. A few hours later, the former presidential candidate clarified in a second message : “Céline and Adrien are two of my friends. My affection for him does not mean that I am indifferent to Céline.”