Fury in France: Did Ministers Dine at Illegal Dinner?

Sunday 4 April 2021

Anger in France
Are ministers dinner at illegal dinner?

In France, bars and restaurants have been closed since October. A TV report on the secret dinner events is now causing major outrage in the country. Because many ministers are alleged to have attended the dinner.

Shortly after a new lockdown for the Coronavirus across the country came into effect in France, a media report is leading the country according to which French ministers attended secret dinner parties in disregard of Corona’s restrictions. French Attorney General Remy Heights announced in the evening that he had instructed the police to investigate the matter, among other things, in order to “endanger others”.

The private television station M6 broadcast a recorded report with a hidden camera on Friday evening. It was filmed in a chic Parisian neighborhood in an “underground restaurant”, where neither the waitresses nor the guests were wearing masks and adhering to the rules of distance. Pictures of an evening event were shown as dozens of participants entered, some greeting each other with kisses.

Due to the Corona crisis, restaurants and bars in France have been closed since the end of October. In the post, a man known as “Jama” did not appear, “I had dinner this week in two or three restaurants called underground restaurants with a number of ministers.” He had to laugh at it. The interviewee said, “We are a democracy, and you do what you want.”

Attorney General Hitz said the police should check whether the evenings were organized in disregard of health regulations. The “organizers and ultimate participants” must also be identified. In addition to an allegation of endangering others, the investigation also relates to the alleged illegal act.

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal rejected the report. He said, “I don’t believe in this for a moment.” It is the duty of the members of the government to be “impeccable and exemplary”. Economic Affairs Minister Bruno Le Maire emphasized that “all ministers, without exception, abide by the rules.”

Interior Minister Gerald Darmen emphasized that the rules are “one for all”. People in affluent neighborhoods should not receive preferential treatment. There are no two types of citizens with whom they are allowed to celebrate and those who are not allowed to.

Secretary of State Marilyn Schiappa has not explicitly set her hand on fire to her cabinet colleagues. She added that if ministers or representatives attended such a secret dinner, “they will be punished like any other citizen.” When a Twitter user asked that ministers would have to vacate their posts “quickly” in the event of such violations of the rules, Schiappa replied on the online service: “This is self-evident. With a penalty.”

The disclosure report was discussed extensively on Twitter on Sunday. Under the slogan #Onveutlesnoms (we want names) the alleged participants were called to account. France is currently groaning under the third wave of Corona and associated restrictions. The nationwide lockdown went into effect for the third time on Saturday.