Resignation of co-rapporteur

Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, a deputy from the Horizons party, has resigned from her role as co-rapporteur of the inquiry commission looking into the October 17 violence. She stepped down on Friday, October 30, citing concerns about the distribution of positions and their effect on democratic balance.

Reason for resignation

In a statement to the press, Firmin Le Bodo said that an inquiry commission cannot carry out its mission effectively without a framework that respects democratic principles and the structure of the Assembly. She had previously raised doubts about the commission’s credibility.

National Rally’s boycott threat

The National Rally (RN) had threatened to boycott the commission after failing to secure one of the rapporteur positions. The party argued that it deserved the role due to its size in the National Assembly and the need for political balance. Several attempts to resolve the issue, including proposals by the National Assembly president, Yaël Braun-Pivet, failed this week.

Left opposes fourth rapporteur

The left, particularly, opposed the creation of a fourth rapporteur position for the RN. Three co-rapporteurs were chosen through a secret ballot: Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, Roger Vicot from the Socialist Party, and Pouria Amirshahi from the Ecologist Group. Boris Vallaud, president of the Socialist group, criticized Firmin Le Bodo’s resignation on X, questioning the intent behind her actions.

Commission’s focus and schedule

The commission is set to examine how public authorities prepared for the October 17 violence, as well as the intelligence and resources available. The government has admitted it underestimated the scale of the protests against the "cost of living." The commission will begin its work on Tuesday with a hearing of Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, and a commission bureau meeting is expected next week.