Environmentalist MEP Michèle Rivasi died on Wednesday, November 29, at the age of 70 in Brussels, European elected official David Cormand confirmed to Le Monde after information from Libération.

The national secretary of Europe Ecologie-Les Verts, Marine Tondelier, said she was “in shock” to Libé. “I have the infinite sadness to learn of the sudden disappearance of Michèle Rivasi, an environmentalist MEP,” she wrote on X. She was one of those tireless activists, friendly, authentic, accessible. We mourn a great lady of political ecology. All our thoughts to his family. »

In an internal message to his colleagues consulted by Le Monde, MEP David Cormand confides: “We are devastated by this news. We were all deeply attached to Michèle, and for many of us, even more so since we met her in the European Parliament. In truth, we can only be in love with Michèle because everything about her inspires friendliness, accessibility, authenticity. Even in his rants, his uncompromising and caring frankness prevailed over everything else.”

This associate professor of biology, a normalienne, made herself known in 1986 by denouncing the “state lie” about the Chernobyl cloud. She co-founded the Commission for Independent Research and Information on Radioactivity (Criirad) and then the Center for Independent Research and Information on Electromagnetic Radiation (Criirem). She entered politics in 1997 by winning the seat of PS related deputy for Drôme.

More information to come