As of: 09/26/2022 5:26 p.m
The leader of the French party EELV, Julien Bayou, has announced his resignation. It is the second withdrawal due to allegations of violence in the left-wing opposition alliance to which the party belongs.
After allegations of psychological violence against an ex-partner, the party leader of the French Greens has given up his post. Julien Bayou wrote in his resignation that he was giving up his position as general secretary of the Europe Écologie Les Verts (EELV) party. He is also leaving the National Assembly as co-leader of the Greens. He will keep his seat in parliament.
Bayou had been suspended from the post of co-group leader last week. There had already been an internal complaint against him in July, which initially had no legal consequences. Last week, Green MP Sandrine Rousseau claimed on a TV show that the party leader had urged a former partner to attempt suicide.
Bayou said the situation had become unbearable for him due to pressure on social media. He was not directly informed of what he was accused of. That’s why he can’t defend himself, Bayou said.
Second resignation in left opposition alliance
It is the second party within the left-wing opposition alliance Nupes to come under pressure over alleged violence against women. In mid-September, the left-wing populist MP Adrien Quatennens publicly admitted to having beaten his wife and announced his resignation from the party leadership. His wife had previously reported him to the police.
The case attracted all the more attention because party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon initially praised his confidante for his courage in publicly speaking out, without saying a word about his wife. More than 500 women, some of them members of left-wing parties, subsequently signed an appeal. They protested against “a system that protects attackers”. Mélenchon later admitted that his reaction was inappropriate. However, the left-wing alliance continues to debate how to deal with suspected sexual violence against women within its own ranks.
The Alliance Nupes, which includes left-wing populists, communists, as well as socialists and greens, did surprisingly well in the parliamentary elections in June. According to surveys, however, 63 percent of left-wing sympathizers are convinced that the alliance will sooner or later fall apart.