Benalla Scandal : Red Alert after “Les Bleus” Victory

During the last week, Emmanuel Macron was on top right after the historic win of France at the World Cup. However, it was without counting the “Benalla scandal”.

It all started on the 1^st of May 2018: Alexandre Benalla, working for Macron’s security, was filmed being violent with two demonstrators. On July the 18^th, the newspaper Le Monde released a video that got viral and led to the scandal. On the 20^th of July, a dismissal procedure was initiated by the Élysée and, on July the 22^nd, Benalla and four other protagonists (including three cops) were put under investigation.

The various legal proceedings try to make the situation clear but the public hearings contradict each other: Gerard Collomb, Interior Minister, is blamed for different about-faces. Macron took position late and even if he tried to shoulder the responsibilities, it won’t really help. Opponents are blaming the executive power for trying to sweep the issue under the rug. Is it a state affair or just a summer saga? Stay tuned for the next episode…

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