The presidential campaign in sight. To fight against physical and psychological violence against women, the feminists behind the #MeTooPolitique movement announced on Monday February 21 the launch of an observatory on gender-based and sexual violence.
While proven or alleged acts of sexual violence have multiplied in recent years on the French political scene, nearly 300 women from this milieu had published a column in Le Monde in mid-November to denounce the status of women in this sphere with the hashtag #MeTooPolitics.
The current presidential and legislative campaigns show how women are hindered in their political journey
Abusive candidates in the running, feminist candidates not welcome, journalists mistreated, intimidation
➡️Press conference #MeTooPolitics,21/02,11h pic.twitter.com/hm8P2KEyEu
—Alice Coffin (@alicecoffin) February 17, 2022
During a press conference given this Monday in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, five of the initiators of this committed text announced the launch of an observatory of sexist and sexual violence in politics. This initiative has a specific objective: to impose this theme in the electoral debate in an attempt to change the problem.
Concrete measures proposed
In order to reverse the sexist trend developing in the political field, the women behind #MeToo Politics have formulated concrete measures, such as the prohibition to occupy important public functions in the event of indictment for facts sexist or sexual violence by a candidate (or running mate) in a national election.
Observatory press conference #MeTooPolitics : announcement of the measures proposed by @fiona_tex
In the vast majority of cases, the victims do not lodge a complaint or have their complaints dismissed. Where we talk again about Georges #Tronsentenced for rape, and always municipal councilor pic.twitter.com/iq1PwxOS0D
— Ni Una Menos (@NiUnaMenos21) February 21, 2022
To support this idea, they took the example of former Secretary of State Georges Tron, who retained certain mandates despite a 3-year prison sentence for sexual assault in a meeting.
But this situation is also visible at the top. In July 2020, the current Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin had been the subject of a complaint for rape, before the latter was directed to a dismissal. In November 2021, the former Minister of Ecological Transition Nicolas Hulot was attacked for acts of rape and sexual assault alleged by six women between 1989 and 2001.
Another line of thought put forward by the five representatives of the movement present on Monday, that of strengthening the rights of whistleblowers concerning possible sexual or gender-based violence.
The representatives of #MeToo Politique also denounced sexism against women journalists, following the controversy born in recent days from the tendentious remarks of Gérald Darmanin against the journalist Apolline de Malherbe.