He claimed he was “forced” to speak out. Eric Coquerel (deputy of rebellious France), was elected president of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 30. He also denounced in a forum published in the Sunday Journal, July 3, “unfounded rumors,” about his conduct towards women.
Eric Coquerel writes in this text, “I declare that I have never used physical or psychological violence to obtain a Report. This characterizes the gateway for criminal behavior in gender-based or sexual violence”.
The committee against sexual violence of La France Insoumise had on June 30 defended the deputy from “rumors about [his] behavior with women”, and made sure that he hadn’t received any report.
Jean-Luc Melenchon’s deputy said that “multiple editorial offices have conducted journalistic investigations”. He added, “Nothing has ever been out for lack having found testimony that could be akin or criminal behavior, a fortiori crime.” This rumor was revived in September 2018 by an investigation into LFI sexism in the newspaper “Causette”. Two brief, anonymous testimony are given by the journalist about a deputy accused of harassment and slippages. Although I was concerned about the article, I wasn’t too worried because it was clearly sloppy.
Eric Coquerel writes, “How to react to a myth that isn’t based on any complaint or report to LFI’s internal unit, despite repeated calls and press releases by LFI to be capable of doing so, no public testimony, and no results of serious journalistic investigative investigation in over five years, but which is explained only because of LFI’s silence and refusal to conduct an investigation?
He also explained that he felt the need to speak out publicly after a intervention by Rokhaya Diallo, author and activist, on RTL this week. Without further details, the deputy had mentioned that LFI sources were questioning Eric Coquerel’s behavior.
Mediapart also failed to find acts of harassment or aggression in a Mediapart investigation.
