“There is a first feeling of relief and recognition for what I have suffered”reacts Boris Faure Thursday, May 12 at the microphone of franceinfo, after the conviction of the ex-LREM deputy M’jid El Guerrab to one year in prison and two years of ineligibility for having violently hit him with a helmet, in August 2017. The former head of the Socialist Party believes that the deputy “has nothing more to do in politics”. M’jid El Guerrab can still appeal.
>> Legislative 2022: majority deputy M’jid El Guerrab sentenced to one year in prison and two years of ineligibility for assault
franceinfo: What is your reaction after the conviction of M’jid El Guerrab?
Boris Faure: We have a judgment that has been eagerly awaited for more than four years and it is a judgment that lives up to a case that has become a symbol of violence in politics. There is a first feeling of relief and recognition of what I have suffered, because my attacker, until the last minute, always tried to reverse the roles. It is a judgment which will carry and which will speak to many people. We are talking about a parliamentarian, who is moreover a majority, which is not a detail. I pay tribute to the work of justice. We are lucky to have in France a justice that I believe to be independent and courageous, a justice that has assumed its responsibilities with regard to the law.
Do you still have consequences, almost five years after this attack?
We are talking about an attack that plunged me into a coma, which meant that for 48 hours I was between life and death. I have sequelae which were initially physical, loss of memory, more often headaches. The damage is being consolidated, it has not yet been fully measured, I think it will be in the months to come. I had been off work for two months, which is considerable. And I have, for life, this bad gift of a 15 cm skull scar because they had to cut my skull in half. It was extreme, absolutely extreme violence.
The court sentenced M’jid El Guerrab to two years of ineligibility when he was considering running for the 2022 legislative elections. Is this an important decision for you?
It was fundamental. Besides, I think that was the real issue of this court decision. Ineligibility is there, even if we know very well that an appeal can suspend this decision of ineligibility and that my attacker could, if he decided, go to the end of the election. I ask the political power, the majority to take its responsibilities vis-à-vis this individual who is guilty of extreme acts, of violence. I ask the citizens of the 9th constituency of French people living abroad to sanction this person who no longer has anything to do with politics.
For the moment, Renaissance (new name of LREM) has not invested a candidate against him in his constituency. What do you think ?
It would seem madness to me [de ne pas le faire] in view of the absolutely degraded side of the political atmosphere which is increasingly radical. There is a need for example. Who could imagine that this deputy who left me almost for dead five years ago is still in the race for the legislative elections? It should have been unplugged a long time ago. It is high time to do so.