Particle.news
Download on the App Store

French Socialist Party Expels Dordogne Mayor Over Antisemitic Facebook Remark

The case moves toward the courts with LICRA preparing a complaint.

Overview

  • Bernard Bazinet, mayor of Augignac, wrote on December 4 under a Libération Facebook post about Israel at Eurovision, “Yes to the boycott! France is too ‘youpine’ to boycott!”
  • The PS announced his immediate exclusion on December 9, stating that antisemitism is intolerable and beyond explanation.
  • LICRA’s Dordogne branch, backed by the national organization, says it will file a legal complaint over the remark.
  • Bazinet apologized, said he did not fully grasp the term’s antisemitic nature, accepted the party’s decision, and insisted he is not antisemitic.
  • The episode unfolds against a Europe-wide dispute over Eurovision 2026, with several countries announcing boycotts of Israel while France confirms participation and supports Israel’s inclusion, a stance lauded by Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot.