The fight for the Paris legislative elections turned into a legal fistfight in Paris's upscale neighborhoods on Wednesday, June 1. Rachida Dati, the LR district mayor, wanted to incriminate in harassment cases Gilles Le Gendre (LREM deputy), who accuses the aedile with slanderous denunciation.
Gilles Le Gendre, former president of LREM, a parliamentary group in National Assembly, is the subject of a report Rachida Dati (mayor of 7th arrondissement) says he sent to Paris's prosecutor's office. The report implicated the Macronist deputy candidate for re-election in cases of sexual and moral harassment.
This report was revealed by "le Parisien", and "le Canard enchaine". AFP became aware of it under article 40 of Penal Code, which requires any authority to denounce an offence or crime that it knows. .
It is based on an old union statement by parliamentary staff as well as press articles denouncing Gilles Le Gendre’s "false allegations", the latter having claimed that he was unaware of allegations of sexual harassment against deputies.
It could be a non denunciation of an offense, or even a crime for the former Minister. Rachida Dati is the leader of the Parisian Right. He also responds to comments made by Joachim Son-Forget (ex-LREM deputy), who is well-known for his absurd positions. He accuses Rachida of being "suspected" of sexual abuse that was directly reported to him by the victims.
"A few days prior to an election in a constituency in which I am the incumbent, and she, one the mayors, support one of my opponents, it is easy for us to imagine the motivations" - Gilles Le Gendre was castigated in a press release as the candidate for his succession from the 2nd Parisian District, where Jean-Pierre Lecoq (LR mayor of 6th arrondissement) is his main rival.
Gilles Le Gendre claims he was already confronted internally with these rumors before being cleared. He announces that he has requested his lawyer to start proceedings "for slanderous denial against those who participated in them."
The presidential majority controls 14 of the 18 Parisian constituencies. Only two of these are occupied currently by LR deputies.
