French parliament halted by lawmaker’s shout “Go back to Africa”
At least one person was hurt during a physical fight broke out between two lawmakers in the Greek parliament Wednesday. The Greek foreign minister, Nikos Kotzias, tweeted the following information.
Greeks have a new parliament that, for the first time, will include a woman and a representative of the far-left Syriza party.
A group of politicians and journalists were gathered in the Greek parliament to watch the new session.
When Parliament was to open its session for the first time in the Greek capital, a disagreement broke out between two lawmakers for the far-left, the Independent Greeks party and the New Democracy party.
The two lawmakers are in disagreement on how to vote on the matter, and some of the media were gathered in the parliament building to cover the event.
A member of the far-left Syriza party, Panagiotis Lafazanis, jumped from his seat and shouted “Go back to Africa” just a few minutes after the start of the session.
“The problem is not the party,” he shouted before other members of the media joined in the debate, which lasted for 20 minutes.
The debate started as the speakers began commenting before panellists from New Democracy and the Independent Greeks (ANEL) party took the stage.
Some media members said that the issue was about how to vote on a constitutional reform bill that would bring more powers for regional institutions and create a parliament that will be half female.
However, New Democracy’s parliamentary leader Nikos Kotzias told Reuters: “We don’t agree with the way the far-left party is presenting the debate. We have our own view, which is the traditional position of New Democracy, which is the view that there should be only one chamber of parliament.”
Kotzias insisted that neither party is trying to force a vote: “We are just debating the proposal now, and we will come back after the debate and continue from there.”
“Our intention is not to discuss the issue,” he said. “We are going to vote on the proposal.”
