Emmanuel Macron caused a stir with his defense of alleged rapist and serial killer Gerard Depardieu.
Appearing on a TV chat show, the French president said he hated that the actor was facing a “manhunt”.
Depardieu, the 74-year-old star of hit films including “Green Card” and “The Last Metro,” has been charged with rape in connection with an alleged attack on a young actress.
He has been involved in at least fourteen other cases of sexual assault and strongly denies all allegations made against him. Yesterday it was announced that a Spanish journalist is the latest woman to accuse the actor of rape.
Macron spoke in favor of Depardieu during a two-hour interview on France 5’s “C à vous” program on Wednesday night.
He said: “Our values include the presumption of innocence. I hate manhunts.’
The French president appeared on a TV chat show (pictured) and said he despised the actor, who was facing a “manhunt”.
Depardieu (pictured) has been involved in at least fourteen other cases of sexual assault and strongly denies all allegations made against him
Mr Macron added: “When someone constantly accuses you of the worst and you play a public role, you can no longer do anything, there is distrust, it is no longer a democracy. “We are no longer free citizens .”
Macron also said Depardieu should not be stripped of his Legion of Honor – France’s highest civilian award – because “it is not a moral instrument”.
This is despite Rima Abdul Malak, Macron’s own culture minister, saying Depardieu had “embarrassed” France with his all-round sexist behavior and should not retain the Legion of Honour.
Other politicians also spoke out on Thursday, with MP Sandrine Rousseau saying on Twitter/X: “Emmanuel Macron’s words about Depardieu are a further insult to the freedom of expression of victims of the sexual violence movement.”
She also told French radio: “Someone who sexualizes a 10-year-old child does not make a country proud.”
Her comments came after Depardieu was allegedly filmed making sexual comments about a 10-year-old girl and groping his interpreter’s bottom during a 2018 visit to North Korea.
Raphaëlle Rémy-Leleu, a Paris city councilor for the Green Party, said victims of sexual violence “will never matter as much as a man’s alleged reputation” unless Depardieu is held accountable.
And Olivier Faure, first secretary of the French Socialist Party, noted that “violence against women” had become a “major issue” during Macron’s time in office.
Macron also said Depardieu should not be stripped of his Legion of Honor – France’s highest civilian award – because “it is not a moral instrument”.
MP Sandrine Rousseau (pictured) said: “Emmanuel Macron’s words about Depardieu are a further insult to the freedom of expression of victims of the sexual violence movement.”
He said if he were a Macron lieutenant, he would seriously consider resigning along with Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau.
Rousseau dramatically resigned from Macron’s government on Wednesday over controversial new immigration laws.
Prosecutors in Paris confirmed last week that a criminal investigation had been opened into the “mysterious death” of a French actress who had accused Depardieu of sexual assault.
There are fears that 60-year-old Emmanuelle Debever’s last hours could be linked to several allegations of abuse against Depardieu.
Ms Debever disappeared from the home she shared with an unidentified partner in Paris late last month, before reportedly jumping off a bridge in the French capital eight days later.
The 28-year-old actress Charlotte Arnould also accuses the actor of criminal behavior.
The French actress Charlotte Arnould (pictured) made her accusation known that the 74-year-old Depardieu raped her in his Paris villa. Ms Arnould (33) waived her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021 in protest at the length of the investigation
Helene Darras, a French actress who claims Depardieu assaulted her in 2007
There is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a sex act on Arnould at his Paris villa in August 2018, but he insists it was consensual.
Ms Arnould waived her legal right to anonymity in late 2021 after Depardieu was accused of rape and sexual assault.
Just days after his indictment, Depardieu was back working on the Paris set of the police drama “Maigret and the Dead Girl,” in which he starred alongside Jade Labeste.
In October, he broke his silence on claims he was a serial abuser, saying: “I’m not a rapist or a predator.”
He accused enemies of subjecting him to a media “lynching” and vented his anger in an open letter in Le Figaro newspaper.
The Charlotte Arnould case is currently before the French courts after an attempt by Depardieu’s lawyer to have the charges dismissed was dismissed.
The allegations against Depardieu follow a series of MeToo complaints against powerful men in the Parisian art world who allegedly raped or otherwise abused young women who worked as models and actresses.
Such scandals have led to protests by women’s groups at high-profile show business events demanding that female actors stop working with allegedly abusive men.
In 2017, President Macron stripped Harvey Weinstein of the Legion of Honor following a series of allegations of sexual harassment and rape, which eventually led to the Hollywood mogul being jailed.
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
