The murder of the young nationalist activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon in February highlighted the presence of extreme left-wing violence in European societies—tolerated, if not encouraged, by some politicians and the media. The MEPs of the Patriots group nevertheless succeeded in forcing a debate in the European Parliament on the threat posed today by the far left in Europe.
The French delegation welcomed the adoption of the request to include a debate on “the rise of political violence attributable to far-left organisations in Europe” in the LIBE Committee (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). The adoption of the Patriots initiative, the result of an agreement reached between representatives of the various groups represented in the European Parliament, is a sign that some consensus is emerging on the need to address the issue.
Extreme left-wing violence is now well-documented, the French delegation’s press release points out, based on figures published by Europol for the year 2025: “21 attacks attributed to far-left and anarchist movements, 28 arrests and a structured transnational network.” Far-left violence thus ranks second among threats, after Islamist terrorist threats.
The Quentin affair has also highlighted the ramifications of the French far left in Italy, denounced by Giorgia Meloni’s government. The Europol report notes the highly organised nature and mobility of these networks, with members of radical leftist groups moving from one country to another in support of local actions.
The requested debate includes a hearing of the Council, the Commission and Europol.
As we reported, in the aftermath of Quentin’s murder, the majority of the European Parliament refused to observe a minute’s silence in his memory. Quentin’s case was buried in a broader tribute to “all victims of political violence.” The scheduling of this debate therefore marks a positive development, as the investigation into his death has just taken a new turn. Two additional suspects have been identified and taken into custody for “voluntary homicide” and “criminal conspiracy.” Their identification was made possible thanks to the assistance of the French anti-terrorism sub-directorate of the territorial crime division, which was called upon because of its extensive knowledge of violent political movements.
