Lyhanna Case: Politicians Shocked by Femicide, But Actions Lag, Says Editor

Politicians in France have reacted with shock and calls for accountability following the Lyhanna case, a femicide that has brought the issue of violence against women to the forefront. However, the article "Affaire Lyhanna: we count our dead, they fall out of the closet" by Giulia Foïs in Libération criticizes this response as performative and insufficient.

Foïs argues that while officials express dismay and question potential "dysfunctions" in the system, their outrage is not matched by concrete actions to stem the tide of femicides. The piece suggests a disconnect between the public pronouncements of grief and concern and the actual political will or effectiveness in addressing the root causes of gender-based violence.

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Our political leaders are all "shocked" and questioning: were there dysfunctions in this case?

The article implies that the political class is more concerned with assigning blame and appearing responsive than with implementing meaningful solutions. It frames the situation as one where "they fall out of the closet" – a colloquialism suggesting a sudden, perhaps insincere, display of emotion or concern – while the reality for victims is counted in "dead."

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They want culprits, but have done nothing, or so little, for femicides to stop.