RN MP’s inauguration of Turkish mosque embarrasses Marine Le Pen

How to reconcile the program of the national rally, its electoral interests and the respect of its voters? The Le Penist MP from Vaucluse, Joris Hébrard, obviously couldn’t find a meeting place. On Friday, March 17, he inaugurated a new mosque in Ponte, the city of which he was elected mayor in 2014, then in 2020, for which he was strongly reprimanded by Marine Le Pen.

At his side that day, representatives of the city’s large Turkish community and representatives of Ditibi (Diyanet Isleri Türk Islam Birligi, or Union of Turkish-Islamic Cultural Affairs), the Diyanet’s French branch, representatives of Ankara’s Ministry of Religious Affairs. Against the background of French and Turkish flags, Joris Hebrar cut the cable and gave a speech. The scene is a common occurrence in France; Less so when it comes to the RN MP, who is rarely enthusiastic about the construction of new mosques, especially when they are supported by a foreign power.

Joris Hébrard did not advertise this local event, but the Franco-Turkish Cultural Association of Avignon did, posting pictures of this inauguration on Facebook. The photos were captured by local activists from Reconquête!, Eric Zemore’s party, and actively circulated until they made it into the article. point, on Wednesday, March 22. When asked at the press conference about Emmanuel Macron’s interview, Marine Le Pen received a cold answer: “I didn’t know at all. This is a personal initiative of this member, which I do not recognize. very clear. » Regarding possible internal sanctions, the leader of the RN MPs stated: ” Like tax authorities: there is room for error. But this once. »

An important community in the district

This is not the first time that the RN group in the National Assembly has been embarrassed by its deputy from Vaucluse. At the beginning of the year, Joris Hebrard had to part with his parliamentary attaché, whose release Denounce association with white supremacists or negationists.

But Joris Hébrard is also a model of “local implantation” on which the RN continues to stumble. Pre-selected in 2014 with seven votes thanks to the triangle, he was renewed with 57% of the first-round vote in 2020. He has also been a councilor of the department since 2015 and was elected deputy in the district dominated by Avignon.

Is such success possible without taking care of the relationship with the local communities? “Pontese people of Turkish origin are numerous [1 500, soit 10 % de la population, selon l’estimation du précédent maire en 2009], and is very present in Vaucluse. There are 6000 of them in the district. Javier Magnini, chief of staff of Pontes mayor and parliamentary assistant of Joris Hebrar assures.. We see a lot of Turks in the city hall, they are business leaders, merchants, not everyone has kebabs! Seen from Paris, we seem to be making a deal with an evil force. But they are not Islamists, they are not men with beards. »