Second woman accuses French senator of drugging her

PARIS: A French senator accused of drugging an MP with the intent to assault her is facing an accusation from another woman, according to French television.

The woman, who has not been named, accused Joel Guerriau of abusing her at his home in Paris in May 2022. The 67-year-old already faces charges over drugging centrist deputy Sandrine Josso's drink in November 2023, an accusation he has denied.

"I decided to bury it deep inside me," said the woman, speaking with her face covered and voice altered on France 2 late Thursday.

The woman said she felt "dizzy" before coming to her senses in the senator's bedroom, who she knew from political circles and with whom she had a legal dispute.

France 2 said the woman has contacted police but has not yet filed a complaint.

A lawyer for Guerriau told France 2 that the centre-right senator "strongly denies these new rumours", calling them "absurdities with the sole purpose of bringing Joel Guerriau to the public gallows."

France's Horizons party, led by former prime minister Edouard Philippe, suspended Guerriau in November 2023 after he was formally charged with drugging Josso as part of a plot to carry out a sexual assault.

Josso -- who is nearly two decades his junior -- said she felt ill after accepting a drink at the Paris home of the senator, with whom she was not in a relationship.

Tests revealed that Josso had ecstasy in her system, prompting her to file the criminal complaint.

Guerriau has denied any intention to sexually assault the lawmaker and has rejected the accusation that he deliberately drugged her, describing it as a "handling error".

He has so far ruled out resigning, calling it "totally unfair" to step down before the court's ruling.

The latest allegation against Guerriau comes months after the world was shocked by Frenchman Dominique Pelicot, who was jailed for 20 years for repeatedly drugging his wife so he and strangers could rape her.

The shocking case, involving scores of men, brought widespread attention to the issue of consent.

The French Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to include lack of consent in the country's criminal definition of rape, paving the way for its official adoption in the coming months.

Consent-based rape laws already exist in several European countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.