French prosecutors said on Wednesday they are investigating French Secretary of State for Development and the Francophonie, Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, after two allegations of rape were brought against her.
According to Reuters, a first complaint for rape was submitted on May 25, which led to the opening of the investigation on May 27. A second complaint was filed on June 16, the prosecutor’s office said.
French media have reported that the complaints date back to when Zacharopoulou, a trained physician, worked as a gynaecologist.
Greece-born Zacharopoulou, 46, joined French President Emmanuel Macron’s center party, La République En Marche, in May 2022, having been a member of the European Parliament for the previous three years.
She gained prominence in 2015 by campaigning for greater public awareness of endometriosis, a debilitating and poorly-understood medical condition that causes reduced fertility amongst women.
Zacharopoulou has also spoken out in favour of women’s reproductive rights.
These are not the first rape allegations to shadow Macron’s government and come at a time of political difficulty for the President after he failed to retain a majority in parliamentary elections.
