The scandal erupted last week after information leaked to the French press that Adrien Quatennens, a senior figure in the radical left La France Insoumise (LFI, France Unbowed), had been reported to the police by his wife, Celine. On Monday, Lille’s public prosecutor’s office announced it had opened an investigation into his wife’s complaint to the police. In a statement on Sunday, Quatenens said his wife did not intend to pursue legal action or speak to the media. He added that he had no idea what his wife’s statement contained, but that he wanted to “leave a trace of our arguments.” He admitted the couple’s relationship had become “strained” and they planned to split after 13 years together. She said that during an argument he had “grabbed her wrist” and taken her mobile phone. “To get it back, he jumped on my back. I left and she hit her elbow,” he wrote. He described an earlier dispute in which “in a context of extreme tension and mutual aggression, I slapped her … I deeply regret that action and have apologized many times.” Quatennens has announced that he is stepping down from his role as LFI coordinator. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a presidential candidate earlier this year for the LFI, praised Quatennens for his “dignity and courage” and blamed the police, “media voyeurism” and social media for intruding on the marriage that it collapses. Another LFI MP, Sophia Chikirou, praised Quatennens for his “honesty and self-sacrifice” and called on people to “let them [the couple] single”. Their support was immediately condemned by women’s groups. Anne-Cécile Mailfert, president of the Fondation des Femmes (Women’s Foundation), said Mélenchon needed to educate himself about spousal violence. “It’s not conflict, it’s violence,” he wrote. Caroline de Haas, of the feminist movement Nous Toutes (All of Us), wrote: “Violence in the heart of a couple is unacceptable, no matter what the conflicts are… I send all my support to the female victims everywhere in the world.” Anne-Laurence Petel, from the centre-right Renaissance party, said: “If Adrien Quatennens’ statement could be met with some sympathy (not for the slap of course), Jean-Luc Mélenchon has just ruined that.” Sandrine Rousseau, a member of parliament for the green party Europe Écologie Les Verts, called on Quatennens to withdraw from all public speaking. “Violence against women has many faces, none of which are acceptable,” she said. An LFI statement said the party “reiterates its relentless commitment to the fight against violence against women”.
