The Family Of Militant Giselle Halimi Spoils Macron’s “Feast Party”.

The family of Giselle Halimi, the lawyer who defended the values of the Algerian glorious revolution, spoiled the “feast party” that French President Emmanuel Macron will attend this Wednesday, 8 March 2023, in honor of the late freedom fighter, coinciding with Women’s Day, a tribute that falls within the framework of the project of reconciliation of colonial memories initiated by President Macron.
Serge Halimi, the journalist and former director of “Le Monde Diplomatique” magazine, who is the son of the late activist who died nearly three years ago, refused to attend the ceremony, citing political reasons, according to what was stated in a statement he sent to Agence France-Presse, at a time when France is witnessing mobilization against a reform project. The retirement system, bearing in mind that Giselle Halimi had denounced the use of torture by French soldiers during the Algerian war of liberation, which led to her imprisonment.
The son of the lawyer who defended the freedom fighter Djamila Boubacha and other freedom fighters addressed the French President via the French Press Agency, saying: “I will not participate. The Elysée’s decision comes after more than two years of procrastination, and at a time when the country is being mobilized against reforming the very unfair retirement system, especially affecting women who occupy difficult jobs,” indicating that the French president’s decision to honor the deceased came very late for the family.
Serge Halimi also felt insulted by the French president’s decision and denounced the way the “feast party” was organized, saying that he had been informed “suddenly” by the Elysee Palace this week “at the same time as the press”, but the activist’s other son, Jean-Yves Halimi, received the invitation with great satisfaction and said that he was “very pleased” with the announcement of this honor, which “I always thought she deserved”, referring to his mother.
Giselle Halimi’s son (Serge) was not the only member of the late freedom fighter’s family and friends who refused to attend Macron’s feast party. In fact, the circle of angry people expanded to include the organization created by the lawyer in the early seventies of the last century, together with Simone de Beauvoir, to defend women, known as “Choisir – cause of women”.
“Organizing this national tribute in the midst of protests against the pension reform is seen as political exploitation,” said the association’s president, Violene Lucas, in a statement distributed to the press.
The French president’s honoring of the late freedom fighter is seen as a continuation of his project to reconcile the memory of French colonialism in Algeria with the past of Giselle Halimi, who is known for supporting the Algerian revolution and defending the mujahideen before the colonial judiciary, However, observers do not rule out that this honor is a further step in honoring the deceased in order to defend women’s rights, given the choice of 8 March, which coincides with “Women’s Day”.
The French President had previously honored Josette Audin, the widow of the freedom fighter and revolutionary who supported the Liberation Revolution, and the mathematician Maurice Audin, who was assassinated by French paratroopers. Colonial propaganda claimed that he had committed suicide in prison, as had the murdered Maurice Audin.