French European lawmaker Manon Aubry has sparked widespread debate after calling to ban billionaires during La France Insoumise's summer school in Drôme.
Aubry, who co-chairs The Left group in the European Parliament, told party activists that taxing wealthy individuals was no longer sufficient to address social and environmental issues.
Speaking at the political gathering held from August 20 to August 23, she said that creating a fair society required prohibiting billionaires entirely. She argued that eliminating billionaires would prevent wealthy individuals from controlling media organizations and harming the environment.
The European Parliament representative added that billionaires were economic pests when analyzed in detail. Aubry participated in the four-day event while recovering on one leg after being bitten by a snake several days earlier.
Outrage and media reaction
Her statements triggered immediate backlash across online platforms in recent days. Political commentator Jean-Michel Apathie strongly criticized her language, describing her comments as words carrying the violence of totalitarianism.
Aubry responded to the criticism on Monday, August 24, in a post on social media. She stated that she had warned her audience that mentioning billionaires would trigger a reaction from news outlets, claiming the media outrage machine was operating at full capacity while failing to address the actual impact of billionaires on society.
La France Insoumise is a left-wing political party in France, while the European Parliament serves as the primary legislative body of the European Union.
Broader context within La France Insoumise
The controversy arises alongside other ongoing developments involving La France Insoumise figures. Bally Bagayoko, the LFI mayor of Saint-Denis, is currently subject to a preliminary investigation by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office over allegations of misusing public funds during his employment at transport operator RATP.
In addition, internal party dynamics have highlighted figures such as Raphaël Arnault, an LFI lawmaker registered on France's S-file security index and founder of the anti-fascist movement Jeune Garde.
The debate also comes as French political parties look ahead to the 2027 presidential election. Green lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau has urged an alliance between Ecologists and LFI, citing low polling figures for Ecologist candidate Marine Tondelier, as polls indicate a potential second-round match between National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and LFI figure Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
