At the end of August, the Paris public prosecutor’s office dismissed the complaint by anti-homophobia associations against the Minister Delegate for Territorial Cohesion Caroline Cayeux for past remarks on the opening of marriage to same-sex couples.
“Prosecutions are not initiated on the grounds that the offense does not appear, with regard to the applicable legal provisions, sufficiently characterized”, indicated a prosecutor, in a letter to the lawyer for these associations, Me Étienne Deshoulières, dated of August 30.
The Foam, STOP Homophobia, LGBT Sports, LGBT Education, LGBT Families and ADHEOS associations had filed a complaint on July 13 for public insult to a group of people because of their sexual orientation by a person holding public authority.
” These people “
Public Senate had asked Caroline Cayeux the day before if she maintained old statements dating from 2013 “on marriage for all and adoption for same-sex couples, qualified as a reform of whim and design that goes against nature” .
The minister initially replied: “Obviously I stand by my words. But I have always said that the law, if it were passed, I would apply it”.
Then she added: “I have to tell you all the same, I have a lot of friends among those people.” Frankly, it’s a bad trial that I’m being made and it upset me a lot ”. Faced with the outcry aroused by the expression “those people” – in reference to same-sex couples – the minister then declared to the Parisian “regret” past remarks “stupid and awkward”
A letter of apology to the associations
At the beginning of August, questioned about these remarks, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne had stressed that “very clearly, the line of the President of the Republic, my line, the line of the government is not ambiguous: we will continue to fight” for gay rights. She had recognized “unfortunate remarks” from her minister, who had also sent a letter of apology to anti-homophobia associations.
Asked, Me Deshoulières indicated that “the Paris public prosecutor’s office being the representation of the State in the criminal trial, it is quite logical that when it comes to a political position of a minister, it is not proactive to continue the talk”.
According to the council, “it is now up to pro-LGBT associations to decide whether the remarks are serious enough to require a complaint with a civil action” aimed at obtaining the appointment of an investigating judge.