Andy Kerbrat, deputy of La France insoumise (LFI), made headlines in October 2024 after his arrest for buying 3-MMC from a minor. This episode, far from being just a simple news item, opens an essential reflection on drug policy in France and the contradictions of a repressive system in the face of a major health reality. A look back at the journey of an activist turned deputy, his political battles, and the symbolic significance of this affair.
A Youth Committed to LGBT Rights
Originally from Nantes, Andy Kerbrat grew up in a family committed to education and public service. As a teenager, he publicly came out as gay and began advocating for LGBT rights at the age of 15. This personal struggle quickly became a collective commitment: he advocated for the creation of support structures for young people questioning their identity and campaigned for a more inclusive society.
From the Workforce to Union Involvement
After obtaining a baccalaureate in dramatic arts, Andy Kerbrat took on precarious jobs, from automobile assistance officer to theater usher. Confronted with the harshness of the job market, he became involved in union activities in 2014 with the CGT and sat on the CHSCT, defending workers’ rights in often difficult contexts.
He joined La France insoumise in 2016, attracted by the movement’s ecological and social proposals. In parallel, he collaborated with the movement For a Popular and Social Ecology (PEPS), becoming a figure in local activism.
A Rapid Political Rise
His first electoral experience dates back to the 2020 municipal elections in Nantes, where he ran on the left-wing list "Nantes en commun". In 2022, under the LFI–NUPES label, he won the 2nd constituency of Loire-Atlantique against the outgoing deputy. He quickly established himself as an active deputy, particularly on issues such as pension reform, raising the minimum wage, or LGBT rights.
Re-elected in the first round in 2024, Andy Kerbrat’s journey was nevertheless disrupted by a high-profile legal case related to the consumption of 3-MMC.
Arrest and Initial Reactions
On October 17, 2024, Andy Kerbrat was arrested in Paris while buying 1.35 grams of 3-MMC from a 14-year-old teenager. Taken into custody, he admitted to using this synthetic drug, used in festive or sexual contexts.
He also admitted to having used part of his parliamentary allowances to fund his consumption, before reimbursing the amounts involved. He faces a fine of 1,875 euros, but it is mainly the media frenzy that captures attention.
A Contrasting Media Treatment
The media seized the affair, often with an exaggerated tone: "Deputy caught red-handed buying drugs", some newspapers headlined. The Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, demanded his resignation, as did several right-wing elected officials.
At the same time, voices were raised to denounce a selective outrage. Why such severity towards Andy Kerbrat, while other elected officials, implicated in tax fraud or abuse of power, receive much more lenient media treatment?
Addiction: A Public Health Issue, Not a Moral Crime
- The WHO has recognized addiction as a disease for years, requiring appropriate medical and psychological treatment.
- In France, drug use affects all social categories, including political and cultural elites.
- Stigmatizing users only perpetuates a collective hypocrisy, deterring dependent individuals from seeking help.
An Outdated French Policy
- France is among the most repressive European countries regarding drugs, while also being one of the largest consumers. This contradiction questions the effectiveness of current policies.
- Several countries, like Portugal or Canada, have opted for partial decriminalization or a prevention-focused approach, with significant results in risk reduction.
Exemplarity in Politics: An Ambivalent Requirement
- The exemplarity expected of elected officials is legitimate, but it cannot be reduced to flawless perfection.
- Acknowledging one’s mistakes and committing to do better is sometimes more exemplary than hiding them.
- Making Andy Kerbrat a scapegoat is to sidestep the real issue: the need for an honest debate on drug use in France.
Towards a Calm National Debate
The Andy Kerbrat affair is a unique opportunity to ask the right questions: how to better support dependent individuals? How to move beyond an ineffective punitive logic?
Instead of hastily condemning, it is time to engage in a collective reflection on risk reduction, prevention, and care. Many experts advocate for an evolution of the legal framework, which would better protect citizens while reducing the negative consequences of repression.
The journey of this committed deputy shows that a misstep can also become a springboard to advocate for a more humane and coherent policy. Andy Kerbrat could thus, paradoxically, become a spokesperson for risk reduction within the National Assembly.
From Personal Affair to General Interest Debate
In 2025, continuing to view addiction as a mere moral fault is nonsensical. The Kerbrat affair reminds us that drug use crosses all layers of society. Rather than stigmatizing, we should make it an opportunity for a constructive debate on the future of public health policies.
It is not about minimizing the alleged facts, but about placing them in a broader perspective. Risk reduction, prevention, and enhanced therapeutic support are essential avenues to escape the current deadlock.
Faced with an addiction crisis affecting millions of French people more than ever, the Parliament could become the epicenter of an ambitious reform. And Andy Kerbrat, strengthened by his personal experience, could be one of its major actors after his reconstruction.
