Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez is considering sanctions ranging from suspension to revocation against Bernard Bazinet, mayor of Augignac in Dordogne, for antisemitic remarks made on Facebook. These statements, deemed incompatible with his role, have drawn strong condemnation from the government and led to the mayor's expulsion from the Socialist Party.
On December 4, Bernard Bazinet, mayor of Augignac, a town of 825 residents in northern Dordogne, commented on a Facebook post by Libération about Israel's participation in Eurovision 2026. He wrote: 'Yes to the boycott! France is too Jewish to boycott!', using a slang term with antisemitic connotations.
In an interview with AFP, Mr. Bazinet, a former Socialist Party (PS) member, stated: 'It's a comment that completely exceeded my thoughts. I was beside myself regarding what I was reading in reports on Palestine. [...] I wasn't necessarily aware that the term [...] had antisemitic undertones.' He tried to delete the post, but it quickly spread, including on CNews.
The Interior Ministry responded decisively. Laurent Nuñez 'strongly condemns' the remarks and believes the mayor 'no longer possesses the moral authority necessary to exercise his functions.' He instructed the Dordogne prefect to summon Mr. Bazinet to remind him of the severity of his statements. The mayor is scheduled to appear on Tuesday, December 23, at the Nontron sub-prefecture.
Additionally, the PS expelled the official on December 9, stating that 'antisemitism is an odious evil. No tolerance, no explanation is acceptable.' In January, Mr. Bazinet will face charges of public racist injury before the Périgueux prosecutor's delegate and must pay a 500-euro fine.
Under the general code of local authorities, suspension can last up to one month, while revocation results in one year of ineligibility. This case highlights the authorities' firmness against hate speech among elected officials, emphasizing the heightened responsibility of public figures in upholding republican values.
