“It’s painful”, “he’s freewheeling” … Behind the scenes of the Quatennens shock to rebellious France – BFMTV

More than a week after the start of the “Quatennens affair”, rebellious France is struggling to move forward and remains divided by the positions of Jean-Luc Mélenchon. A political movement in full doubt. Since the publication by the Quatennens couple of a press release asking for respect for their “private life”, in reaction to the revelation in the Canard enchaîné of the deposit of a handrail by the wife of the national coordinator of the movement, France insubordinate is in a state of shock. However, the first signs had been noted internally. “We had trouble reaching him, he was bad, we knew he was in the middle of a divorce but we didn’t know for the rest”, confides a deputy. “Nobody could imagine that”, adds a member of the movement who describes Adrien Quatennens as “closed like an oyster”. “From Tuesday-Wednesday certain executives knew that it was not going to hold… Several of them suggested this outcome (his withdrawal, Editor’s note) which to my knowledge did not gave rise to resistance on his part,” an LFI deputy told BFMTV. As of Saturday evening, his withdrawal was recorded. “It’s nonsense!” But the next day, five days after the revelations of Le Canard Enchaîné, Adrien Quatennens published another press release, in which he admitted having companion. A text broadcast without warning the general staff of rebellious France, which is not without causing some tension. “It’s a personal statement even less validated by a political authority. He’s freewheeling, he’s all alone…”, explained an elected official. “This letter he’s writing is nonsense!”, abounds another. No will of omerta in this affair, indicates LFI which publishes the same day a brief press release in which the movement welcomes this withdrawal and reiterates “its unfailing commitment in the fight against violence against women. women”. The malaise MélenchonIt is Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s tweets that will really divide the rebellious. Some share his position and salute on Twitter “the courage”, “honesty” or even the “dignity” of Adrien Quatennens to step back. Others like Clémentine Autain or Manon Aubry distance themselves from her statements. But few members of the movement dare to criticize the leader. “Do you think that if he made a second tweet it was because he was happy with the first?”, justifies an LFI parliamentarian. “His first tweet is not shameful, it’s just that it’s incomplete…”, adds another member of the party. LFI MP for Dordogne Pascale Martin was one of the few to specifically target Jean-Luc Mélenchon in a press release judging “insufficient and unacceptable” the reactions of the rebellious leader. Three hours passed between the first and the second tweet from Jean-Luc Mélenchon where he finally evokes an “unacceptable slap”. But in three hours, the malaise set in. And the embarrassment is palpable during the LFI group’s back-to-school press conference at the National Assembly. Mathilde Panot responded laconically, referring journalists to the France Insoumise press release. Before a moment of hesitation during reminders from journalists, no one knowing who was to speak. This press conference remains a failure that some deputies regret. “We were not sufficiently prepared. This press conference was a disaster” recognizes a parliamentarian. to answer questions on the subject. Adrien Quatennens is already missing The movement now wants to turn to the future, with the return to parliament in sight. But the heart is not necessarily there. “Everyone is shaken, it’s human. That the coordinator of the movement is someone who has committed an assault, domestic violence, that can only shake. A slap in the face it’s a slap in the face, it’s not to be trivialized,” says LFI MP Danielle Simonnet. “Adrien was the machine we all knew, the best spokesperson, the most effective, the one who had the verb The fact that he is no longer a spokesperson has repercussions on our ability as a movement to combat Emmanuel Macron’s measures”, laments Raquel Garrido, MP LFI, specifying that she nevertheless wanted her withdrawal. The malaise is also palpable among the new deputies, far from the hard core of rebellious France. ..”, explains one of them. “It is a good thing that the coordination of LFI spaces felt that it should be put back. He can no longer speak on our behalf. We must express full solidarity with the victims”, adds Danielle Simonnet, insisting on the need to train more members of the movement and not only. Ironically, this Thursday, September 22, as part of the parliamentary days of the LFI group, two hours of training on the prevention of gender-based and sexual violence are organized for deputies.A meeting held well before the Quatennens affair comes out.By Anthony Lebbos and Perrine Vasque with Anthony Audureau