The new minister for solidarity and the disabled has been accused of rape by two women, claims he has strongly denied. Now Mediapart has spoken to a third woman who says that he tried to rape her at a party at his home in Paris in 2010. Damien Abad, who was appointed to the new government under Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne on May 20th this year, did not directly respond to Mediapart's questions about these latest allegations but has “categorically” denied them in a statement. Meanwhile the issue has dogged the final days of the legislative election campaign ahead of the crucial second round of voting on Sunday June 19th. Marine Turchi and Ellen Salvi report.
On May 21st Mediapart published an investigation based on allegations from two women that they were raped by the new minister for solidarity and the disabled, Damien Abad. Mediapart also revealed that the claims had been reported to the ruling La République en Marche (LREM) party on May 16th, four days before Abad was appointed to the new government. Since the revelations members of the LREM have struggled to justify the appointment of Abad, who strongly denies the claims. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne says she was “not aware” of the allegations in advance. Marine Turchi reports.
