The Paris City Council has authorized Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire to file a defamation lawsuit against Rachida Dati following several statements made by the former right-wing candidate in the municipal elections concerning the after-school program scandal. The lawsuit, which will be filed on behalf of the City of Paris, targets comments published on the social network X accusing the municipality of having been aware of serious misconduct and failing to act.
Rachida Dati had notably asserted that Emmanuel Grégoire had been aware since 2015 of reports concerning after-school program staff and had raised the possibility of the City's criminal liability. She had also accused the municipal team of knowingly transferring activity leaders suspected of sexual abuse without referring the matter to the authorities. The municipality believes these statements damage its honor and reputation.
A complaint that divides the Paris Council
During the debates, opposition groups strongly criticized this initiative. Right-wing elected officials denounced a "SLAPP suit" financed by taxpayers, while the left-wing MP Sophia Chikirou argued that Emmanuel Grégoire should have taken legal action in his own name if he felt his honor was personally at stake.
The issue of after-school programs in Paris remains a major concern. Since the beginning of the year, 132 activity leaders have been dismissed, 52 of them as a result of investigations into suspected sexual or gender-based violence. In response to this situation, the City of Paris has launched a €20 million reform plan. An information mission from the Paris Council, as well as an independent commission chaired by former juvenile court judge Antoine Garapon, are continuing their work to fully investigate the identified problems.
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