French lawmaker gets 15-day suspension after racist comment

PARIS (AP) — A French far-right lawmaker has been suspended from the country's parliament for 15 days, the maximum penalty, after he made a racist remark during a legislative session, which prompted condemnation from across the political spectrum.

Gregoire de Fournas of the far-right National Rally party was heard shouting the words “return to Africa” at his fellow lawmaker as Carlos Martens Bilongo, who is black, was challenging the French government on Thursday about migrants stranded at sea.

Bilongo said he was “deeply hurt” by the remark.

Other politicians, including France's president, said they were shocked by de Fournas' remark, which raised new questions about xenophobia on the far right and in other parts of French society.

His words prompted an immediate uproar in the National Assembly, leading the legislative chamber's president to suspend the session.

Members of the National Assembly's managing body said Friday they unanimously gave de Fournas the maximum penalty, 15 days of suspension.

De Fournas tweeted that he is “innocent” and feels the decision is “very unfair.”

Due to acoustic issues, it was unclear whether de Fournas said Bilongo should return to Africa or the migrants should.

De Fournas said he was referring to Europe-bound migrants rescued at sea and not to his fellow lawmaker.

“I fully stand by my comments about the anarchic migratory policies of our country,” he tweeted Friday.

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