French President Emmanuel Macron continues to be pressured in the affair surrounding his former bodyguard Alexandre Benalla: The French Senate has called on the judiciary to investigate several of Macron's close associates. The upper house of parliament accuses them of false statements in the case. As the Senate Office announced, the Senate wanted to pass alleged incriminating material to the prosecutor.
Benalla was accused in mid-2018 of having violently cracked down on demonstrators in street protests on May 1. After media reports about the incident, he had to leave the presidential office. The judiciary also initiated investigations at the end of last year because Benalla was said to have illegally used diplomatic passports after being thrown out of Macron's official residence. Several times Benalla and Elysée officials had to testify before the Senate investigative committee.
Investigations by the committee of inquiry have been going on for months. Several employees of Macron are said to have been involved in contradictions and obfuscated facts in recent months. Among others, Macron's cabinet chief Patrick Strzoda, secretary-general of the Elysee Palace, Alexis Kohler, and security chief Lionel Lavergne. The government rejects the allegations.
Against two other Elysée officials there is not enough evidence to suspect them of the false statement, said Senate Vice President Valerie Letard. However, their cases with a list of "inconsistencies and contradictions" should also be passed on. Macron has been accused by the opposition of covering Benalla for a long time and having kept in touch with him after his expulsion in July.