French budget chief fights renewed rape investigation

French authorities are taking another look at a woman’s rape accusation against the government’s budget chief, who denies the allegation.

The prime minister’s office expressed support Saturday for Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin and said it would be up to the justice system to investigate.

Darmanin is the highestranking French official accused of sexual misconduct since the scandals that started with Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in October snowballed into a movement affecting numerous industries and countries.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said an investigation of the allegation that Darmanin, 35, raped a woman in 2009 was opened last year and closed because the accuser didn’t show up for questioning, A new preliminary investigation was launched after the woman filed a new lawsuit and answered investigators’ questions this week, the prosecutor’s office said Saturday.

The accuser’s lawyer, Elodie Tuaillon-Hibon, said the alleged rape took place when her client sought legal from Darmanin, at the time an up-and-coming official in France’s conservative Republicans party.

The woman is a former prostitute who was convicted in 2004 for blackmail, according to Tuaillon-Hibon. She maintained she was wrongfully convicted and wanted Darmanin’s help with the case when he allegedly forced her into sex, the lawyer said.