"Violence and Revenge": The authors of the investigative book on LFI describe Sophia Chikirou's modus operandi

In an investigative book entitled La Meute , journalists Charlotte Belaïch and Olivier Pérou examine the workings of La France Insoumise and describe in particular the behavior of Sophia Chikirou.

A member of parliament for the 6th constituency of Paris, her "mode of operation" is based on "violence and also revenge," according to Charlotte Belaïch on BFMTV. Sophia Chikirou is also in the justice system's sights, as she is under investigation for aggravated fraud in the case of fraud involving Jean-Luc Mélenchon's campaign accounts during the 2017 presidential election.

But it's her methods within La France Insoumise that are being singled out by the two journalists. "She sidelined many people who were close to Jean-Luc Mélenchon. One example is Danielle Simonnet, who was purged this summer. "Her mistake was to have warned Jean-Luc Mélenchon against Sophia Chikirou," the book's co-author argues.

"She met her at the town hall of the 20th arrondissement of Paris, where they were both elected officials. She warned her against this woman's cynicism," explains Charlotte Belaïch.

"Sophia Chikirou will never stop wanting revenge and she will say it: 'I will have her skin,'" she concludes.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon's partner, Sophia Chikirou, occupies "a cardinal and special place" within the party. "She herself claims it when she meets new employees at the headquarters of La France Insoumise," the journalist continues. "She says 'I am the leader's wife.' She imposes a role that allows her to be excused from many violent outbursts," Olivier Pérou suggests on BFMTV, citing "homophobic remarks that have never been punished."

"It also reveals that she was capable of saying, when she worked at Le Média, that a journalist was a 'bastard,'" explains the book's co-author.

"There is this confidence from Taha Bouhafs (a former LFI candidate) in the book who tells us 'she will bring down La France Insoumise and Jean-Luc Mélenchon will follow her,'" explains Olivier Pérou.

In the book, Charlotte Belaïch and Olivier Pérou describe "the darker sides" of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, including the ousting of Raquel Garrido and Alexis Corbière from La France Insoumise. Both were, however, "the little darlings" of the rebellious leader for years, but were victims of a purge within the left-wing party.