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The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Court of Paris announced Wednesday the opening of an investigation for alleged sexual harassment and assault against the president of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, Eric Coquerel, of La France Insoumise (LFI).
The Brigade de Répression du Banditisme will conduct the investigation, sources from the prosecutor’s office told EFE.
The decision comes after Sophie Tissier, a leftist militant and former leading figure in the “yellow vests” movement, filed a complaint earlier this month.
Speaking to the press when announcing the lawsuit, Tissier described “outrageous, offensive, harassing” behavior, as well as “inappropriate gestures, wandering hands” during a political meeting that took place in 2014.
She also noted that she had reported this alleged behavior to a left-wing party commission on sexual and sexist violence. The deputy rejects the accusations.
Allegations of sexual violence have been frequent in French politics in recent years.
Damien Abad, appointed minister in the new government last May, was not reappointed in last week’s Executive reshuffle after the start of a judicial investigation for attempted rape.
Two other women accused him of rape. Abad has consistently denied all the accusations.
Last Monday, an examining magistrate decided to shelve a rape complaint filed by a woman against Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin for events that allegedly occurred years before he took office.
