French Interior Minister faces questions in Macron bodyguard scandal
French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb will be questioned today on whether he was aware of Macron bodyguard Alexandre Benalla’s violence against protestors.
Videos of Mr Benalla beating up a young man at a May Day protest shook the internet, prompting his suspension then firing. Macron’s administration had allegedly been informed of the incident three months ago, and yet failed to report it to prosecutors. Now there is a suspicion that Mr Collomb illegally supplied Benalla with police tapes in an attempt to clear his name.
The scandal comes just as Mr Macron’s popularity has reached new lows, suffering from various other claims such as misuse of public funds. Additionally, the opposition has taken up cries that Macron’s government is too powerful, likening the president to a king. Expect reports that his inner circle is supposedly above the law to only bolster these claims.
The incident has the potential to cause major damage to the government’s popularity. Expect someone such as Mr Collomb to take the fall, possibly resigning to appease an angry populace.
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