Larcher asks Senator Guerriau, suspected of having drugged a member of parliament, to “stand back”

The President of the Senate Gérard Larcher asked Senator Joël Guerriau on Monday, November 20 to “withdraw from all his activities linked to his mandate”, after the indictment of the parliamentarian suspected of having drugged a deputy with a view to sexually assault.

“It is now up to Joël Guerriau to take his responsibilities, until justice and the police services can clarify the facts,” said Gérard Larcher in a press release, emphasizing “the extreme seriousness of the facts alleged against the senator and (the) principle of dignity which attaches to the exercise of the parliamentary mandate”.

Gérard Larcher more particularly invited Joël Guerriau “to resign from his functions as secretary of the Senate Office and vice-president of the foreign affairs committee”.

Elected official from Loire-Atlantique, Joël Guerriau (66 years old) was indicted on Friday evening, suspected of having drugged Sandrine Josso (48 years old), MoDem deputy from the same department, in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday without his knowledge of sexually assaulting him, accusations denied by his lawyer.

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Samples revealed the presence in the victim's body of ecstasy, a drug also found during a search of the home of her alleged attacker. He was therefore also indicted for “use and possession of narcotics”, and placed under judicial supervision, including a ban on going to the MP’s home.

At the same time, political sanctions quickly fell against Joël Guerriau, suspended in turn by his political party Horizons, then by his parliamentary group, both of which opened disciplinary procedures which could lead to his exclusion. The president of the communist group in the Senate Cécile Cukierman approved Gérard Larcher's request.

“In order for the investigation to proceed peacefully, out of respect for the complainant and out of respect for the institution, withdrawal is required. “It’s the least we can do, without prejudging the results of the investigation,” she told AFP.