Former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has accused Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, President of France between 1974 and 1981, of having eaten at the thigh at a dinner at the French Embassy in Copenhagen in the early 2000s.
At the time, D’Estaing was in his late 70s, but still active in politics as president of the European Convention. He died in December last year at the age of 94.
Before his death, a number of women accused him of inappropriate behavior – allegations vehemently denied by the Frenchman’s lawyer.
“I name former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing because I think he can stand it,” she told ’21 Sunday ‘on DR yesterday.
“I’m pretty sure it was something he had done before. He has also sadly passed away, so he is no longer with us. ”
Can happen to any woman
Thorning-Schmidt was on ’21 Sunday ‘to drum up interest in his new book,’ The Blondes’ Considerations’ (Blondes’ Considerations), which deals with feminism and #MeToo and is published today.
She had not previously wanted to air her experience in D’Estaing’s hands because she did not want to sound like a victim talking about her vulnerability.
However, she is concerned that the #MeToo movement is stalling, and hopes her book can convey how all women can be exposed to inappropriate behavior, regardless of their vulnerability or status.
“There is not a ‘kind’ of woman who experiences this – we all actually do,” she said.
“Now is the right time to say no, because I also want to emphasize the large number and range of women who have had bad experiences.”
Not traumatized
Thorning-Schmidt warns that she was not traumatized by the incident.
“I came across it … the same day it happened … so it was not something I spent a lot of energy on,” she added.
Thorning-Schmidt is adamant that she does not know a single woman who has never experienced any form of inappropriate behavior.
“I hope we can keep this discussion alive. I’m a little worried it’s just disappearing, ”she said.
Since resigning as Prime Minister and leader of the Social Democrats after her defeat in the parliamentary elections in 2015, Thorning-Schmidt served as CEO of Save the Children until 2019. Today, she holds a number of executive positions, including a seat on Facebook’s board.
Source: The Nordic Page