Overview
- Jean‑Luc Mélenchon and LFI deputy Paul Vannier labeled the illustration of Rodrigo Arenas an antisemitic drawing and urged exemplary sanctions.
- Marianne published a rebuttal asserting the caricature follows cartoonist LB’s longstanding style, with a djellaba and babouches chosen to echo the article’s focus on Arenas’s stance on laïcité.
- The artist said exaggerated noses are a routine feature of his work and denied any antisemitic intent, describing the gold watch as a simple accessory.
- Commentators questioned LFI’s consistency by citing its 2025 poster of Cyril Hanouna that drew comparisons to Nazi‑era imagery, for which a Nanterre court ordered LFI to pay €3,500 over image rights.
- The dispute remains unresolved with each side holding its line, as Marianne further highlighted past LFI statements it argues reflect troubling rhetoric about Jews.