The recently appointed disabilities minister for French President Emmanuel Macron denied rape allegations and stated that he would not quit.
“Should a man who is innocent resign? No, I don’t believe so “On Monday, he told reporters in his Ain constituency in eastern France.
“I vigorously refute the accusations levelled against me… In my whole life, I have never raped a single woman.”
Macron and his new Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne are grappling with the scandal surrounding Damien Abad as they try to preserve political momentum ahead of the June parliamentary elections.
They also follow the resignations of other MPs vying for parliament in recent weeks due to allegations of violence against women.
Abad was reacting to the emergence over the weekend of rape allegations against him dating back over a decade.
Abad’s nomination as minister of solidarity and people with disabilities in a reshuffle on Friday was viewed as a huge triumph for Macron, given the 42-year-old had defected from the right-wing opposition.
However, the next day, the Mediapart news site claimed that a politics monitoring group founded by members of France’s #MeToo movement had informed prosecutors — as well as Macron’s LREM party — about rape allegations against Abad made by two women in 2010 and 2011.
[embedpost slug=”/fifth-seed-kontaveit-out-of-french-open/”]
CHOOSE TO LOOK AWAY
When Abad was appointed, the government’s new spokeswoman, Olivia Gregoire, denied that Macron and his team were aware of the claims.
Abad was reacting to claims of rape against him dating back over a decade that surfaced over the weekend.
Given Abad’s defection from the right-wing opposition, his appointment as minister of solidarity and people with disabilities in a reshuffle on Friday was seen as a big victory for Macron.
The next day, the Mediapart news site said that prosecutors and Macron’s LREM party had been alerted of rape charges against Abad made by two women in 2010 and 2011.
SELECT TO LOOK AWAY
When Abad was appointed, Olivia Gregoire, the government’s new spokeswoman, denied that Macron or his team were aware of the allegations.
“A lot of people knew,” she continued, “yet others chose to turn away rather than ask additional questions.”
Abad previously denied the charges, claiming that his condition rendered him incapable of sexually abusing anyone.
He has arthrogryposis, a rare joint disorder that he claims makes sexual interactions impossible without the assistance of a partner.
