Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, a deputy and former minister representing the Horizons party, announced her resignation on Friday from her position as co-rapporteur of the inquiry commission regarding the violence that occurred on October 17. In a statement released to the press, she criticized the distribution of roles within the commission, arguing that it fails to respect the political balances of the National Assembly.
Le Bodo had already stepped back from active participation the previous week due to concerns over the credibility of the commission's work. This crisis stems from the decision by the National Rally (RN) to boycott the inquiry after failing to secure one of the co-rapporteur positions. The RN argued that, given its status as the largest group in the Assembly, it was entitled to a reporting role to ensure political equilibrium.
Several initiatives aimed at resolving this deadlock, including efforts by National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet, failed throughout the week. The left-wing factions specifically opposed the creation of a fourth co-rapporteur seat reserved for the RN. Citing an absence of progress in the situation, Le Bodo concluded that an inquiry commission cannot fully fulfill its mission without a working framework that respects democratic balances and the composition of the Assembly.
The commission was originally formed by transforming the Law Commission following a secret ballot, which designated three co-rapporteurs: Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, Roger Vicot from the Socialist Party (PS), and Pouria Amirshahi from the Ecologist group. The inquiry is scheduled to begin its work on Tuesday with the hearing of Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
The commission's mandate includes examining how public authorities prepare for such events in advance, as well as assessing the intelligence and resources at their disposal. This investigation comes after the executive branch acknowledged failures in anticipating the scale of the October 17 movements against the cost of living. Additionally, a bureau meeting for the commission is scheduled to take place next week.
Sources: Le Figaro.