Europe 1 with AFP 9:31 p.m., December 01, 2021

Emmanuel Macron spoke on the accusations of sexual assault and rape against his ex-minister Nicolas Hulot.

The Head of State wanted there to be neither "opacity", "complacency" or "inquisition", but "the efficiency of justice".

Emmanuel Macron wanted there to be neither "opacity", "complacency" or "inquisition" about the accusations of sexual assault and rape against his ex-minister Nicolas Hulot, but "the effectiveness of the justice ", according to statements reported by the Council of Ministers.

"We will never accept a society of opacity or complacency"

"The government's position on this issue is constant. We will never accept a society of opacity or complacency. And we don't want a society of inquisition either. So what is at stake is that? is to facilitate and support the release of speech, the collection of complaints, the efficiency of justice, "said the Head of State in the Council of Ministers, participants reported, confirming information from several media .

"We have done a lot for this, and we will continue to act resolutely in this direction," added Emmanuel Macron, speaking for the first time since the broadcast last Thursday by France 2 of an investigation in which several women accused of rape and sexual assault the former minister and TV host.

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A preliminary investigation opened

The Paris prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation on Friday. Nicolas Hulot had announced on Wednesday, the day before the broadcast, to leave public life "definitively", to protect his relatives and his Foundation from the fallout of a "lynching". In total, it is at least six women, including one underage at the time of the facts, who implicate him. The opposition questioned the executive, including several ministers, such as Marlène Schiappa, who was at the time Secretary of State for Equality between Women and Men and the Fight against Discrimination. They had defended their colleague, in 2018 after the revelation of a complaint for rape which had finally been dismissed because of the exceeded statute of limitations.

Asked about this complaint for rape of Pascale Mitterrand, the granddaughter of ex-President François Mitterrand, the government spokesman explained on November 26 that at the time, there had "been support for the 'Rule of law, the presumption of innocence ".

"Today", argued Gabriuel Attal, "there are additional testimonies which are added, which were not known at the time".