Expected to be a promising change, the redesign leaves a strongly bitter taste for many. Headliners arrive with 'pretty pans'. But these do not make you laugh at all, quite the contrary.
Monday, July 6, the ax falls, the names of the new ministers of Emmanuel Macron are given. Palpitations, surprises, disappointments, and even misunderstanding take hold of the French. Two appointments immediately caused a scandal: Gérald Darmanin and Éric Dupond-Moretti.
On the one hand, you have Gérald Darmanin, hitherto Minister of Action and Public Accounts, propelled Minister of the Interior. It must be remembered that Jean Castex's new strong man in Matignon is dragging a rape complaint. Sophie Patterson-Spatz accuses her of rape (dating from 2009), sexual harassment and breach of trust.
In early June, following two years of procedural battle, the Paris Court of Appeal ordered the resumption of the investigations.
But this complaint which targets him "did not prevent" his promotion, ensures the entourage of the President of the Republic, information reported by the agency France-Presse (AFP) and relayed by Ouest France. "It seems that things are going in the right direction." For the Elysee Palace, "never comment on current cases", added this source without further details. Gérald Darmanin "aspired to more" and "he embodies the republican order, a priority of the government", explains the entourage of Emmanuel Macron, still according to AFP.
The accused confirmed that he had had sexual intercourse with the complainant, but according to him voluntarily consented and on the latter's initiative.
The complainant's lawyer said on Europe 1 that she was concerned about the progress of the investigation "against the first French cop".
Éric Dupond-Moretti
On the other side, you have the media Éric Dupond-Moretti, known as the "ogre des assises". The criminal lawyer enters the Ministry of Justice, he becomes the new Keeper of the Seals. Known for having defended controversial affairs (from Patrick Balkany to Jérôme Cahuzac, passing by Mohamed Merah's brother, Abdelkader), his arrival in government is a real surprise.
Nicknamed also "acquittator" because he leaves no room for defeat in his trials, this tenor of bars has held more than doubtful sentences in the past.
In the DSK case (Dominique Strauss-Kahn), the new minister said in an interview with the JDD in 2015: "friends who have a good time". Let us not forget that there was talk of a story of aggravated pimping.
Questioned by BFMTV in 2018, on the new law against gender-based and sexual violence, Éric Dupond-Moretti said that a "very old lady" had confided to him: "Me, I regret not being whistled any more". According to him, street harassment is a matter of education and not of justice.
Similarly, during the acquittal of Georges Tron (in 2018), ex-secretary of state prosecuted for "rape and sexual assault in a meeting", the lawyer explained at the microphone of Europe 1: "this case begins with DSK and ends with #Metoo. That the woman's speech becomes free is perfect. But the receptacle of this speech is neither the media nor the social networks, it must be justice. .) At 30, you are not a potiche unable to say no to a man who takes your foot. (…) Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if your son touches the knee of a girlfriend in his car, is that a sexual assault? "
On franceinfo Laurence Rossignol, socialist senator for Oise, former minister for family, children and women's rights and president of the Women's Assembly spoke about the appointments of the two men: "c'is a very big problem, because at least these two men have no commitment on these subjects "https://www.aufeminin.com/". For the Minister of the Interior, she says she does not "prejudge" "of the judicial affairs of Mr. Darmanin", the new Minister of the Interior, targeted by a rape complaint, but she mentions that "twice he is implicated" for "an exchange of sexual favors for an intervention by a man of power". And concerning Éric Dupond-Moretti, "He has never hidden his aversion to everything that is the MeToo movement, the law on street harassment".
Are these two ministers not at odds with women's rights, a cause that Emmanuel Macron keeps talking about?