Former French Digital Secretary Mounir Mahjoubi’s Grandfather Dies in Morocco Amid COVID Travel Restrictions

The French politician announced this sad news on his Twitter account on Monday. "My grandfather is dead. In Morocco," he confided, without specifying the cause of his death. "My mother and her brother are the only ones who emigrated 40 years ago. They are the only ones not to be with him because of Covid, he says. ’When we left, we accepted the consequences, today we realize how far away we are and it’s hard’."

In a second tweet, the one who was born in Paris into a working-class family originally from Morocco talks about the pain of immigrants who are far from their loved ones. "When we talk about immigrants, refugees, migrants, we must never forget the infinite courage it takes to leave everything behind and the pain that haunts you for a lifetime of having left far away, for better days, elsewhere, here," said Mr. Mahjoubi.

Many Internet users express their compassion to him. "A very terrible news. Be assured dear Mounir that a large number of French people share your immense pain. We wish you a lot of courage in this ordeal," wrote one Internet user. "My condolences Mounir. I understand your pain must be immense in the face of this helplessness. It is also a bit the anguish of all of us who have gone elsewhere to be held back, far from our loved ones, for the last moments," comments another Internet user.

Marlène Schiappa, Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Interior, in charge of Citizenship, expressed her support and affection for the former Secretary of State through a heart emoticon.