Emmanuel Macron assures, in an interview in Elle, Wednesday May 8, that there was “no complacency” towards the actor Gérard Depardieu, claiming to have “never defended an aggressor in the face of the victims “.
Gérard Depardieu will be tried in October in Paris for sexual assault on two women during filming in 2021. He has also been indicted since 2020 for rape and sexual assault on a young actress, Charlotte Arnould. Several other complaints have been filed against the 75-year-old actor, who denies the charges against him.
At the end of December 2023, before the actor was summoned to court, Emmanuel Macron took his defense, hailing a “huge actor” who “makes France proud”, and denouncing “a manhunt”.
“There is no complacency for me,” the President of the Republic now assures in Elle, where he covers several subjects considered important for women. “Just a willingness to respect our principles, such as the presumption of innocence. These same principles which will allow justice to rule next October and that is a good thing,” he added.
“Culture of brutality”
The Head of State assured that he had “deep respect, goodwill and great confidence for and in the words of women” and said he was “uncompromising on the issue of rape, domination, this culture of brutality.” “My priority has always been the protection of victims, and this is also the case for the Depardieu affair,” he continued.
Hailing “the courage” of actresses Judith Godrèche, Juliette Binoche and Isild le Besco, who denounced sexual violence in the cinema industry, Emmanuel Macron underlines that “the highlighting of the truth is done through free speech, through work of journalists, by the work of investigators. Justice then, alone, establishes guilt,” he added.
Emmanuel Macron also recalled his intention to change the definition of rape in France by integrating the notion of consent. Parliamentarians are “working on the subject with the Minister of Justice [Eric Dupond-Moretti] so that a proposed text can see the light of day by the end of the year,” he said. precise.
Carried by the shock wave
