Former minister Damien Abad indicted for attempted rape

Former minister Damien Abad was indicted on Thursday May 16 for attempted rape, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirms to franceinfo. The former Minister of Solidarity is therefore being prosecuted for these facts “likely to have been committed in 2010”. In this case, a judicial investigation targeting Damien Abad was opened on June 21, 2023. On June 30, Damien Abad confirmed in a press release the opening of this judicial investigation, explaining that he contested “firmly” of the “vile accusations”.

Damien Abad, deputy for Ain, is accused of sexual violence by three women; it is in a case concerning one of these accusers that he was indicted. He was also placed under the status of assisted witness to the counts of rape to the detriment of the two other women in 2010 and 2011.

The former leader of the LR deputies was appointed in May 2022 Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy and People with Disabilities in the government of Elisabeth Borne. The day after his appointment, Mediapart relayed accusations of rape against him. He left the executive at the beginning of July 2022 during the reshuffle.

Former head of LR deputies, Damien Abad was a hold of President Emmanuel Macron on the right. After his short-lived stint in government, he regained his seat as deputy for Ain in the National Assembly.

The Renaissance group to which it belongs indicates to franceinfo that “following his hearing by the courts today, Damien Abad will appear before the group’s office on Tuesday morning”adding that “the presumption of innocence applies to him as to every French citizen.”