A first Council of Ministers of the Borne government took place on May 23. The Council of Ministers looked into the case of Damien Abad, the new Minister for Solidarity, Autonomy and People with Disabilities. The online newspaper Mediapart revealed that the former boss of the LR deputies in the Assembly was accused of rape by two women.
These two cases date back to 2010-2011. They reappear thanks to the appointment of Damien Abad. Mediapart first mentions the case of a young woman whom Damien Abad met through mutual friends in 2010. After refusing to see him again several times, she agrees to have a drink with the then MEP. She then tells of a black hole and waking up in her underwear in a hotel alongside the chosen one. She considers it possible to have been drugged without her knowledge. A traumatic experience according to her, and which she now qualifies as rape, but without having filed a complaint.
Embarrassing revelations for taking office
In the other testimony, that of a former activist of the political movement of Damien Abad, a complaint was however filed, but it was dismissed in 2017. The young woman also evokes a rape, after a start of consensual sex. The other common point is the context of these presumed crimes: insistent and repeated attempts at seduction over many months, the feeling among young women that the politician is using his influence, creating a situation of control and of psychological stress. Damien Abad totally denies the facts, recalls Aurelien Devernoix, political service. On Sunday, the very recent minister published a press release in which he contests all sexual violence, all coercion exercised against women and all abuse of power linked to his function.
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Furthermore, he considers that the charges of rape are incompatible with the handicap from which he suffers and which in particular obliges him to need assistance in undressing and renders him incapable of any physical constraint. No question therefore for him to resign or even to withdraw. And besides this morning, at the Council of Ministers, no one asked him to leave his post.
“The establishment of the truth, it is up to justice to do it”
In her press conference, the new government spokeswoman Olivia Grégoire merely declared that the government was at the side of those who have the “tremendous courage” to speak, but that in this case, justice was the only one to have and to be able to decide.
The fact remains that the situation is still very embarrassing for the executive. First, because the charges are extremely serious: rape is judged in the assize court and the accused is liable to 15 years in prison. If Damien Abad were to be prosecuted for these alleged facts, the impact would be devastating for Emmanuel Macron and his team, while the Head of State repeated that he wanted to act primarily against violence against women.
Reports not taken into account
Women’s rights associations had already strongly criticized the president after his choice to maintain his confidence in Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, suspected of having used his position to obtain sexual favors. Also accused of rape, he finally received a dismissal last January.
Could Damien Abad get the same support? His political position is much more fragile: he recently joined the presidential camp, in exchange for his entry into the government. And in the middle of the legislative campaign, the situation could quickly become untenable for Emmanuel Macron and the government. Especially since reports would have been made to the presidential party before the appointment of Damien Abad and that they were, depending on the version, not transmitted, or not taken into account.
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