"I call on the elected representatives of the majority of Saint-Étienne to dissociate themselves from Gaël Perdriau by asking for his resignation. He smears the honor of St Etienne, the greatness of the mayor's mandate and politics in general", wrote Mr. Retailleau on Twitter.
Justice authorized Wednesday Mediapart to publish an investigation promising new revelations on Gaël Perdriau, retracting a first order preventing the online media from publishing this article on the mayor of Saint-Étienne, mired in a case of alleged blackmail.
In the process, Mediapart published its investigation reporting slanderous remarks by Mr. Perdriau against the LR president of the Auvergne / Rhône-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez.
The latter announced that he was attacking the mayor of Saint-Étienne for defamation.
The affair began at the beginning of August when Mediapart published the confessions of the former companion of a right-wing municipal deputy accusing himself of having trapped the first deputy Gilles Artigues by having him filmed to blackmail him in a room of hotel with an escort boy.
According to his confessions, this "barbouzerie" had been organized at the request of the mayor - who has always denied any involvement - and remunerated via fictitious services invoiced to cultural associations financed by the municipality.
Mr. Perdriau was excluded from LR.
In October, he announced that he was filing a complaint against the party for "defamation" and against LR deputy Eric Ciotti, also a candidate for the presidency of LR, for "public insults".
© 2022 AFP