Alexandre Chauveau
modified to
07:24, July 05, 2022
Targeted by an investigation for “attempted rape”, Damien Abad lost his wallet. He is replaced by a pair made up of Jean-Christophe Combe, director general of the French Red Cross, and Geneviève Darrieussecq, member of the MoDem. Can we say that Elisabeth Borne has let go of her minister?
The main exit from this reshuffle is Damien Abad, forced to leave the Ministry of Solidarity because of suspicions of attempted rape hanging over him. Jean-Christophe Combes, the boss of the Red Cross takes over. Can we say that Elisabeth Borne has let go of her minister?
“Not all the conditions for serenity were present”
Apart from ministers defeated in the legislative elections, Damien Abad is the only outgoing to bear the brunt of this reshuffle. Although presumed innocent, he had become too troublesome. “All the conditions of serenity were not present”, justifies the new government spokesperson, Olivier Véran. Damien Abad will only have remained a little over six weeks in his post and leaves the ministry with, he says, a lot of regrets.
“It seemed preferable, in the face of the despicable calumnies of which I am the target, orchestrated in a well-chosen calendar, that I could defend myself without hindering the action of the government. I will defend myself relentlessly until justice confirms my innocence. “, did he declare.
A nuance that contrasts with Macron’s doctrine
Élisabeth Borne implicitly assumes the departure of Damien Abad. “A certain number of testimonies deserve to be taken into account”, confides the Prime Minister to the magazine She, before evoking “a duty to set an example”, including in what is not “reprehensible”. “There are behaviors that we don’t want to see,” says Élisabeth Borne. An important nuance that contrasts with the doctrine of Emmanuel Macron. So far, the Head of State had indeed erected the presumption of innocence as a cardinal value of his first five-year term.