Comments by a far-left National Assembly member about population growth and identity have drawn condemnation, legal threats, and renewed debate over immigration and social cohesion in France.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A member of France’s National Assembly is facing widespread backlash after remarks made during a podcast appearance were interpreted by critics as endorsing the idea that native French citizens are being demographically overtaken by immigrant populations.
Carlos Martens Bilongo, a lawmaker with the far-left La France Insoumise party, made the comments during an appearance on the “African Bookstore” podcast, where he spoke about population growth among minorities in France. His remarks were first highlighted in reporting by Le Journal du Dimanche, which said the comments had sparked significant controversy after Bilongo appeared to suggest that non-native groups were surpassing the native French population in both numbers and vitality, as reported.
Without explicitly naming the groups he was referencing, Bilongo urged listeners to “show them that we are more numerous and that we are more intelligent.” He continued, “If we’ve had more children than them, too bad for them. If they wanted to have children, they should have just loved each other, made love, and had children. We managed to have them. Our mothers managed to raise us properly.”
Bilongo, who represents Val-d’Oise and was born in France to parents from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, appeared to frame his remarks broadly. However, during the exchange, one of the interviewers noted that his comments seemed to echo the idea commonly referred to as the “Great Replacement,” a concept coined by French philosopher Renaud Camus that argues elites view populations as interchangeable economic units rather than peoples rooted in distinct cultures and homelands.
Although major Western media outlets and establishment politicians have often described the concept as a far-right conspiracy theory, a recent national survey cited in French reporting found that roughly half of the French public believes demographic replacement is occurring and that elites are actively encouraging it.
France has experienced decades of large-scale immigration that critics say has strained social cohesion, with the country repeatedly facing terrorist attacks and episodes of urban unrest. Despite this, La France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has previously attributed social tensions to native French citizens who oppose demographic change.
“When I was born, one in ten French people had a foreign grandparent, now it’s one in four. Consequently, those who call themselves native French pose a serious problem to the cohesion of society,” Mélenchon said last year.
As the party struggles to gain traction among working-class voters, particularly in rural regions, Mélenchon has increasingly focused on mobilizing ethnic minority voting blocs, many with Islamic backgrounds. That strategy has fueled scrutiny and allegations that La France Insoumise has cultivated links with radical Islamist movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood, according to reporting that detailed such accusations.
Bilongo’s remarks have also prompted political and potential legal consequences. Senator Stéphane Ravier of the Reconquest party said he intends to file a complaint with the public prosecutor’s office over the statements. In a public message responding to the controversy, Ravier said, “The only racism still allowed in France concerns white people; the justice system must crack down to protect them,” he said.
As of now, Bilongo has not announced whether he plans to clarify or retract his comments, while the episode continues to intensify debate over race, identity, and immigration in French political life.
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