Accused of humiliation, racism and sexism by ex-collaborators, the deputy LREM Laetitia Avia wants to "file a complaint"

She is supposed to be in the spotlight this Wednesday to defend in the Assembly her bill intended to fight against hate on the Internet. But LREM MP for Paris, Laetitia Avia sees a whole new battle announced. The elected official indeed sees his image seriously damaged after the publication, Tuesday evening, of an investigation by Mediapart, denouncing illegal managerial practices and moral harassment which would target several ex-members of his team.

Only hours after the publication of the investigation, Laetitia Avia condemned on Twitter "false and incoherent accusations", adding that she was going to "File a defamation complaint".

[Thread] In 2 months, David Perrotin published 3 articles on me. A relentlessness which leads to the publication of false and incoherent accusations on the eve of the final vote of #PPLCyberhaine. It is not a coincidence.

In all, five former collaborators agreed to testify, describing “repeated humiliations” at work and sexist, racist and homophobic remarks made by the elected official. A former employee of Asian origin would thus have become the “scapegoat” of the member. The investigation, supported by multiple screenshots of private conversations, reveals remarks referring to the origins of his assistant: "it smells of Chinese" or "You are a false Chinese, you do not master Mac".

"We voted for the PD amendment"

The member who leads a fight in favor of the rights of LGBT people, would also fall into sexism and homophobia, still according to Mediapart. "We voted for the PD amendment," she said in a written conversation with her team. A sentence which she justified on Twitter, explaining that she was taking up the words of her ex-collaborator.

"The amendment of PD"? This is the expression used by my ex-collab, himself homosexual, to designate this amendment which I supported. I used his words in a message without imagining that it could be diverted. This diversion offends, I am aware of it and sorry.

Similarly, his colleagues would also be the subject of remarks and sexist insults, assure several ex-parliamentary assistants. "She often insults MPs whom she does not like a 'whore'", reveals to Mediapart, Nicolas, one of his former collaborators.

“Sometimes she makes fun of the physique of certain activists in her riding, but also of team members when they are not there. One is too big, the other dresses badly, "said Benoît, one of his ex-assistants.

" A grip "

In addition to his remarks, the five former parliamentary assistants denounce harassing managerial practices. "Avia is a system that crushes you," says William, who has worked for the elected for more than a year. “Working for her meant being asked to work from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Even on weekends. “Abounds another former assistant.

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Some would also have been entrusted with missions that are not part of their job, namely "managing personal meetings" or "reserving a place for her husband at Roland-Garros", says one of its team members. "She was capable of pissing off anger or constantly infantilizing us, but could become quite adorable or apologize when she went too far. Psychologically, it's very hard to manage and it maintained a grip, ”William explains to the online media.

Practices contrary to labor law

Finally, certain practices used by Laetitia Avia would be contrary to labor law, the survey further underlines. A former assistant, Sophie was thus officially hired in February 2018, one month after starting to work for the MP ... without being paid. The elected official also refused to pay certain paid leaves of another employee hired on a fixed-term contract.

Mediapart regrets these dysfunctions have been reported to the President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand and to the anti-harassment cell of the chamber, without any results so far. "The institution, the rules and the administration of the Assembly have a big share of responsibility even of complicity", judges thus Nicolas, a former employee of the team of the deputy.

Already at the heart of a controversy after an altercation with a taxi driver three years ago and accused of having wanted to prevent a collaborator from teleworking during the confinement last month, this new controversy could mark a stop to the he meteoric rise which was presented as an example in the hemicycle by Édouard Philippe in 2017, after the legislative elections.