RN candidate for legislative elections accused of racism

During a debate between the two rounds organised by the local press, the RN MP for Yonne, Daniel Grenon, a candidate for re-election, made comments that were described as racist by the opposition. The socialists have announced that they will take legal action.

He has been a member of parliament for two years, a candidate for his own succession, winner of the first round of early legislative elections in his constituency, with more than 40% of the vote. And, since Tuesday July 2, in turmoil following accusations of racism: Daniel Grenon will be reported to the public prosecutor, announced the first secretary of the Socialist Party in Yonne, Mani Cambefort.

I will refer the matter to the public prosecutor under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. I am doing this as an elected official and without any connection to the legislative campaign.

Mani Cambefort,

First Secretary of the Socialist Party in Yonne

At the heart of the controversy are comments made by the National Rally (RN) MP during a debate between the two rounds organised by the local daily newspaper L’Yonne Républicaine.There are skids everywhere“, assured the elected official, questioned on the “skids” candidates from the far-right party, before adding somewhat vaguely: “Maghrebis came to power in 2016, these people have no place in high places.“

Enough to immediately provoke the indignation of the New Popular Front candidate Florence Loury, Daniel Grenon’s opponent during the debate and the second round of the election: “When I hear Mr. Grenon, I hear that he is racist.“, she reacted, as transcribed by the Yonne Républicaine.

Other political figures from Yonne have also taken up the matter, first and foremost Dominique Vérien, UDI senator from Yonne.As I was a guest on France Bleu Auxerre this morning, I told myself that I would read the Yonne Républicaine, and that’s where I discovered these mind-blowing remarks.“, she confides in us.”The RN did not bring out Mr. Grenon during the campaign to prevent him from saying stupid things: in the end, it did not take long.“

The RN has bought itself respectability through suits and ties, but you don’t have to look far to prove that it is a racist party.

Dominique Verien,

UDI senator from Yonne

The former deputy (Les Républicains) of Yonne Guillaume Larrivé, beaten by Daniel Grenon in 2022, himself made a post on X, formerly Twitter: “This is what the RN MP who beat me in 2022 and has since doubled the number of his voters says“, photo of the remarks in support.”Vox populi, vox dei? Attention, danger.“It should be noted that Guillaume Larrivé did not call for voting for either Daniel Grenon or Florence Loury in the second round.

Contacted, Julien Odoul simply indicated that he had no knowledge of the comments made by his colleague. Daniel Grenon, for his part, denounced a “incomplete sentence from the Yonne Républicaine“. In a statement sent in the afternoon, he said he had said exactly: “Dual-national Maghrebis like Najat Vallaud-Belkacem have come to power and that is very good, but they sometimes do not have their place in certain high-ranking positions because of their dual nationality which can pose a problem of allegiance.“

The newspaper l’Yonne Républicaine, which we contacted, confirms that the remarks transcribed in the daily are accurate. That the debate between Daniel Grenon and Florence Loury was recorded, and that the name of Najat Vallaud-Belkacem was never mentioned. And that consequently, Daniel Grenon’s denials cannot be taken into consideration.