Paris (AFP)
Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Wednesday that he "completely" took over the appointment of Gérald Darmanin to the Interior Ministry despite the rape investigation targeting him.
"I fully assume this designation, (Gérald Darmanin) is entitled like everyone else to the presumption of innocence", explained the head of government on BFM TV, while the Paris Court of Appeal ordered in early June the resumption of investigations into the rape, sexual harassment and breach of trust charges brought against the Minister.
The Prime Minister assured that Mr. Darmanin would not have been appointed "if, in my soul and conscience, having looked at the subject, I had had the slightest doubt, the slightest interrogation", stressing that "for political reasons and also personal, everything related to violence as we say intra-marital, rape issues, (him) are particularly expensive ".
However, argued Jean Castex, "there have already been acts of investigation on these same facts which were clearly acts of rejection", while the investigation had initially been closed.
Heard at the time in free hearing, Mr. Darmanin had confirmed having had sexual intercourse with the complainant, but according to him freely consented.
Several feminist demonstrations took place on Monday against the appointment of Mr. Darmanin to the Ministry of the Interior, particularly during the handover with his predecessor Christophe Castaner.
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