It is a discreet return but which does not go unnoticed: the former minister Damien Abad, pushed towards the exit after only a few weeks, following revelations in the press of sexual assaults was back Tuesday, July 26 at the Assembly for questions to the government.
A discreet return to third row in the Hemicycle, just above the bench of ministers who are not in a hurry to speak to him. Damien Abad dodged questions from journalists just before questions to the government and his fellow MPs from his group, Renaissance, are embarrassed when asked the question. “No Comments, No Comments”slips Sacha Houlié, deputy for Vienne, who we have known to be more talkative.
The short-lived Minister of Solidarity actually returned on Monday, very discreetly there too, and at the National Rally through the voice of Laure Lavalette, we believe we have nothing to complain about: “Yesterday he spent a little hour, I think, early evening, or yesterday afternoon, she indicates. Again, we are very attached to this presumption of innocence, so no, we are not going to vilify him.
The deputy of Ain was not actually convicted but is the subject of an investigation for attempted rape. Christine Pirès Beaune, of the Socialist Group, believes that the non-conviction argument does not work: “The question arises on the moral level”says the latter.
“Indeed, legally, he has the right to be in the Hemicycle but in his place, I think I would have stayed at home. And I do not call into question, by saying this, the presumption of innocence .”
Christine Pires Beauneat franceinfo
It is ultimately in his former political group, Les Républicains that we feel the most comfortable with the situation. “It is no longer our subject, it is that of the majority group, believes Olivier Marleix, successor to Damien Abad as head of the LR group. VSreally is the business of the majority group. He is with them, he was elected under their label: today, Damien Abad, it is their problem. I saw in the press somewhere that the Republican MPs were embarrassed. I’d rather say they’re… cleared.” MP Patrick Hetzel even adds: “To speak trivially, we gave them the hot potato.”