A far-right MP was accused of yelling "back to Africa" to a black colleague posing a question on migrant arrivals in the French Parliament, throwing the session into turmoil on Thursday.
President Emmanuel Macron's government is promising a new crackdown on immigration amid accusations of failing to stem new arrivals or deport those whose residency requests are denied.
Carlos Martens Bilongo of the leftist France Unbowed party (LFI) was questioning the government on the request by the SOS Mediterranee charity for Paris's help in finding a port for 234 migrants rescued at sea in recent days.
"They should go back to Africa," interrupted Gregoire de Fournas, a newly elected member of the far-right, anti-immigration National Rally (RN).
The outburst sparked yells of condemnation, not least because in French the pronouns "he" and "they" are pronounced the same, suggesting that Mr de Fournas might have been referring to Mr Bilongo.
A member of Mr Macron's entourage said the president was "hurt" by the "intolerable" comments, while Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne urged the assembly to penalise the far-right MP.
"Racism has no place in our democracy," Ms Borne said.
Migrant crossings on the English Channel surge amid heatwave - in pictures
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The number of migrants crossing the English Channel from northern Europe has reached record-breaking figures as people in Britain are experiencing an exceptionally hot summer. PA -
A lady carries a toddler to a bus after a group of people thought to be migrants were brought in to Dover, Kent, on the south-east English coast. PA -
A group of migrants are brought in to Ramsgate, Kent, on August 1 - the day on which almost 700 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in a single day, a record for the year so far. PA -
It was only the second time in 2022 that the daily figure has topped 600. PA -
A woman carries a newborn baby in a life cradle as she is brought in to Dover on a Border Force vessel in July. PA -
About 3,683 migrants made the crossing on 90 boats in July, the highest monthly total this year. PA -
A warehouse in Dover for boats used by people trying to cross the Channel. PA -
Migrants hold up an inflatable boat before attempting to cross the Channel to Britain, near the northern French city of Gravelines, in July. AFP -
A police officer stands guard on the beach at Dungeness, England, as migrants get off a lifeboat after they were picked up at sea in June. AFP -
A group of people thought to be migrants walk up the beach after being brought in to Dungeness in May. AP -
Migrants on the beach at Dungeness, after crossing the English Channel in an inflatable dinghy in January. Reuters
The RN is the party of far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who backed her MP on Twitter by saying: "The controversy created by our political opponents is obvious and will not fool the French people."
Ms Le Pen challenged Mr Macron in this year's presidential vote and then led her party to its best performance in subsequent legislative elections, with 89 MPs.
The party was founded by her father Jean-Marie Le Pen but his daughter claims to have overhauled the former National Front into a mainstream force, despite critics who say the changes are only cosmetic.
National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet suspended the session after demanding to know who had made the comment, in an extremely rare intervention.
Migrant children rescued in French waters - in pictures
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Migrants are rescued by crew members of the 'Abeille Languedoc' ship after their boat's generator broke down in French waters as they were trying to cross the Channel illegally to Britain. All photos: AFP -
Migrants wait for help in the Channel. -
A child is rescued by crew members of the 'Abeille Languedoc'. -
The 'Abeille Languedoc' is an ocean-going tug specialising in the rescue of vessels in distress. -
Migrant children on the rescue boat. -
The 'Abeille Languedoc' has been moored in Cherbourg for 26 years, monitoring the Channel between the Cotentin and the Pas-de-Calais. -
Migrants sit on board the 'Abeille Languedoc' after being rescued. -
A rescuer carries a child as they disembark from the 'Abeille Languedoc'.
Mr de Fournas later defended his comment, telling BFM TV that the National Rally wants a halt to all illegal immigration after a surge in the number of people trying to reach France from Africa in recent years.
He accused France Unbowed opponents of "manipulation" and his party also denied any personal attack against Mr Bilongo, a teacher of Congolese heritage who was born in Paris.
Mr de Fournas later apologised to Mr Bilongo for "the misunderstanding my comments caused" and if he was hurt by them.
Jordan Bardella, favourite to take over officially from Ms Le Pen at this weekend's RN congress, insisted the MP had meant the return of boats to African ports, and accused LFI and the government of "extreme dishonesty".
LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchon tweeted that the comments were "beyond intolerable" and that the deputy should be ejected from the National Assembly.
Afghan migrants in France set sights on the UK – in pictures
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Baheer is a doctor from Afghanistan. He left for England when the Taliban took over. All photos: Abdul Saboor for The National -
Mohammed left Kurdistan with his wife and three children in August. 'The National' met him in a camp in Grande-Synthe near Dunkirk, France. 'The UK is our best option for safety", he said. -
Kamran was a translator for the US army in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He is looking to find refuge in the UK where he has relatives. -
Hundreds of displaced people live in makeshift shelters and small tents in Dunkirk. -
Parvez, 16, arrived in France a week ago. He left Afghanistan after the government collapsed and is trying to reach family in England. -
Because of regular police evictions camps are not permanent and have no amenities. NGOs try to provide water and food.
A parliamentary committee will meet on Friday to discuss the incident, which could see Mr de Fournas punished with a temporary exclusion from the Assembly.
Mr Macron's centrist Renaissance party will refuse to attend further sessions unless the council issues a "heavy penalty", its vice president in Parliament, Sylvain Maillard, said on Twitter.
The ruling party failed to win an overall majority in the legislative elections, leading to tension as Mr Macron's government seeks to push key bills through the legislature.
