Placed on the agenda by The Republicans as part of their parliamentary niche, the resolution calls on the European Commission to initiate a procedure to place “the Muslim Brotherhood movement and its leaders” on the European list of terrorist organizations. It also asks the European Union to carry out “a legal and factual assessment of the transnational network of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

The rapporteur of the text, LR lawmaker Éric Pauget, defended an initiative targeting a “political movement” whose project, he said, would be to “make Sharia law prevail over the law of the Republic.” According to him, such a classification would in particular make it possible to freeze funding and facilitate the exchange of information between the member states of the European Union.

Heated debates

The session during which this resolution was adopted was marked by numerous incidents. National Rally lawmaker Laurent Jacobelli sparked an outcry by accusing members of La France Insoumise (LFI) of complacency toward the Muslim Brotherhood’s homophobia: “The Muslim Brotherhood wants to stone homosexuals, so if you want to stone homosexuals, vote LFI,” he said, triggering strong reactions and calls for sanctions from LFI lawmakers.

Another tense exchange pitted National Rally lawmaker Sébastien Chenu, who was presiding over the session in his capacity as vice-president of the National Assembly, against LFI lawmaker Antoine Léaument. Furious at having been called to order during the debates, the latter went down to the floor of the chamber to challenge the presiding officer, urging him to step down from the rostrum to “discuss face-to-face.” This behavior was denounced by Sébastien Chenu as a “physical threat” and a “challenge to [his] authority as chair.”

These incidents will be examined by the Bureau of the National Assembly on February 18, in order to rule on requests for sanctions against those responsible.