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.
A director famed for films such as "Subway", "The Big Blue" and "Nikita", Besson's fate will be decided by an investigating judge in charge of the case.
The 72-year-old actor is said to have been placed under formal investigation indicted on December 16th 2020 for rape and sexual assault, which he allegedly committed in the summer of 2018.
Mediapart has had access to new information in the current investigation into rape allegations against France's interior minister Gérald Darmanin, claims that date back to 2009. Some documents we have seen contradict parts of his defence. The file also shows that when he was questioned by the investigating judge in mid-December 2020 the minister - who denies the claims - changed his version of events over a key exchange of SMS messages, in which the complainant accuses him of having “abused his position”. And in addition the minister gave new explanations to justify some of the more embarrassing aspects of the case. Antton Rouget and Marine Turchi report.
Lawyers representing French interior minister Gérald Darmanin, 38, have confirmed he has been questioned 'at his own request' by magistrates investigating rape allegations filed against him by a woman who he claims he was in a consenting relationship with.
