French lawmakers on Wednesday secured approval for the creation of a France-Palestine friendship group in the National Assembly after months of debate, French media reported.
A decision authorising the creation of friendship groups in the National Assembly, which was backed by leftist and centrist lawmakers after months of debate, has already sparked controversy, Le Journal du Dimanche reported.
In France, parliamentary friendship groups are usually created if a country has a recognised parliament, is a member of the UN and maintains diplomatic relations with France.
Richard Ramos, an MP from the Democratic Movement (MoDem) and supporter of the initiative, defended the decision as a step towards “balance” in parliament. Adding that the US Senate already has a similar structure, he said:
“It is unthinkable to have a friendship group with Israel without an equivalent for Palestine.”
The move comes amid broader political tensions: the leadership of both the new France-Palestine group and the existing France-Israel group have yet to be determined.
The chairs of these groups will be determined at a meeting scheduled for November 25, when the France-Israel group, currently led by French President Macron’s party, could face a challenge from the National Rally.
