French right-wing figure Éric Ciotti has called for a national tribute to honour film legend Brigitte Bardot, prompting objections from political opponents on the left.
France has a duty to honour its Marianne, said Ciotti, referring to the emblem of French liberty whose face Bardot was chosen to represent in the 1960s.
Bardot died on Sunday aged 91. A petition launched by Ciotti since has attracted more than 23,000 signatures, and has the backing of some allies on the far right.
But Socialist leader Olivier Faure has pointed out that national homages are for exceptional services to the nation. Bardot was an iconic actress but she also turned her back on republican values, Faure argued.
Bardot has been hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as a legend of the century who embodied a life of freedom, and Ciotti, who leads the right-wing UDR party, has appealed to him to organise a national send-off.
Ciotti said France should recognise a woman who brought her country an extraordinary level of international recognition and actively helped in the fight for women's liberty and abortion rights.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has announced that his city will name an iconic site in Bardot's honour.
However, Bardot is destined to remain controversial in death as she was during her life. Faure pointed out that she had been convicted five times for inciting racial hatred.
Bardot starred in some 50 films, after bursting onto the scene in And God Created Woman in 1956 before leaving the world of cinema in 1973 for a life dedicated to animal welfare.
Bardot became well known for her far-right sympathies as much as for her love of animals, with remarks that garnered backlash.
Despite the calls for a national tribute, some on the left remain supportive of the idea if endorsed by the government.
In accordance with her wishes, Bardot is set to have a private burial ceremony at the Notre-Dame de l'Assomption church on January 7, and her funeral will be broadcast across Saint-Tropez.
