This may or may not contribute to changes in French sexual politics (paging DSK), but the rape and sexual assault charges against Georges Tron, former French civil service minister and current mayor of Draveil, show that being in President Sarkozy’s orbit does not impart a kind of diplomatic immunity to everyone.

BBC:

Prosecutor Marie-Suzanne Le Queau told the AFP news agency that Mr Tron had denied having “any relations of a sexual nature with the victims, even relations that would have been consensual”.

She said, however, that statements from the two plaintiffs were “coherent” and “corroborated on some points by outside elements”.

Read more

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig