Bernard Bazinet, mayor of the small town of Augignac in southwest France, has been suspended from his duties for one month following a controversial social media comment that drew accusations of antisemitism, Le Parisien reported on Thursday.
The suspension order was issued by French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and took effect Wednesday, running through the end of the month.
On December 4, Bazinet commented on a Libération Facebook post regarding Israel’s participation in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, which has faced boycotts from some countries amid the war in Gaza. In his response, Bazinet wrote, “Yes to a boycott! France is too Jewish to boycott!”
In an interview with the French news agency AFP, Bazinet, a former member of the Socialist Party, admitted: “When I saw that France had approved Israel’s participation, it led me to react foolishly. I wasn’t necessarily aware that the term carried antisemitic connotations. When I tried to delete the post, I saw it had already been shared widely and cited by CNews.”
A few days later, the Socialist Party announced Bazinet’s expulsion, citing his “antisemitic remarks on social media.”
On December 22, Interior Minister Nuñez condemned Bazinet’s comment “in the strongest terms,” stating that the mayor “no longer holds the moral authority necessary to carry out his duties.”