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French lawmakers have launched a parliamentary inquiry into possible connections between the far-left political party La France Insoumise (LFI) and Islamist movements.
The investigation follows testimony from multiple journalists who say the party has developed deep ties with Islamist organizations operating in France.
Among them is Syrian-French journalist Omar Youssef Souleimane, who recently published a book on the subject. News of his upcoming release reportedly sparked panic within LFI, whose representatives allegedly sought to obtain a copy before publication.
Souleimane described what he called a mutually beneficial alliance. “The Islamists use LFI as a Trojan horse to have political interests and get to parliament,” he said. “For its part, LFI is using the Islamists. They are taking Muslims in France as hostages for electoral reasons.”
He further told Le Point that LFI officials “never have a word of condemnation of terrorism” when speaking to Arab media outlets.
Testimonies Reveal Islamist Infiltration Efforts
Before the National Assembly, Souleimane testified that after Hamas’s October 7th massacre in Israel, he attended several pro-Palestine demonstrations either directly organized by LFI or by an Islamist association known as Urgence Palestine (UP). The group was founded by Omar Al-Soumi one day after the attack.
According to Souleimane, Al-Soumi has worked closely with senior LFI figures, including parliamentary leader Mathilde Panot, who frequently joins these rallies. He also identified another group, Perspective Musulmanes, whose members Ahmed Ibrahim and Maria de Cartena view the “war on terror” as a campaign against Islam. Both have appeared alongside LFI deputies at public events.
Souleimane clarified that he supports citizens’ right to protest but aims to expose those “who organize these demonstrations and who have an Islamic political project behind them.”
Political Partnerships and Radical Rhetoric
Souleimane cited Thomas Portes, an LFI deputy active in such demonstrations, noting his recent trip to Lebanon with Salah Amouri, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — a group designated as a terrorist organization in Europe.
He added that many of these demonstrations have included calls for Israel’s elimination. “It has become normalized to express the idea of destroying a state called Israel,” Souleimane said, condemning the trend as blatant antisemitism.
Journalists Warn of Systematic Islamist Strategy
Another journalist, Nora Bussigny, echoed these concerns during her testimony, describing what she called an ongoing Islamist infiltration effort targeting LFI ahead of local elections.
Her investigation focused on two individuals, Elias d’Imzalene and Wissam Xelka, who allegedly discussed the need to identify potential allies within LFI and “radicalize them day by day.” Bussigny described d’Imzalene as a “militant preacher” previously tried for incitement to terrorism after calling for an intifada “from Paris to Gaza.”
While some Islamist activists reportedly view LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon as “Islamophobic,” Bussigny testified that they continue to back the party because they see it as the political vehicle most capable of advancing their agenda.
Lawmakers Acknowledge the Threat
As the inquiry continues, National Assembly spokesperson Andrea Kotarac summarized what many in France now fear: “The link between LFI and Islamism, for my part, I think it is proven.”
The investigation marks a rare public acknowledgment in France’s political establishment that Islamist extremism is seeking influence not only through violence — but through the democratic institutions themselves.
