An anonymous Twitter account, active until 2021 and filled with racist, sexist, and anti-abortion remarks, has been linked to deputy Gérault Verny from Eric Ciotti's UDR group. Mediapart revealed these details on December 5, despite the lawmaker's denial. A complaint for identity theft has been filed.
Gérault Verny, deputy from Bouches-du-Rhône and key figure in Eric Ciotti's Union des droites pour la République (UDR) group, is at the center of a controversy following the discovery of an anonymous Twitter account. Active until 2021, the account featured racist, sexist, and anti-abortion posts. Verny is already known at the National Assembly for his economic lectures to colleagues, ties to identity-focused poster campaigns, and shareholding in the far-right media outlet Frontières.
Investigative site Mediapart published the revelations on Friday, December 5, providing multiple links between Verny and the account. The account's handle alludes to his name and his holding company. Private life details match the posts, and the Free email used for creation ties to his personal phone number and current Gmail account.
Questioned by Mediapart, the deputy denied any involvement. His lawyer, Frédéric Pichon, stated he filed a criminal complaint for digital identity theft several weeks prior, after inquiries from a France Télévisions journalist about the same account. Neither Verny nor the UDR group responded to The Monde's requests.
This case raises questions about online anonymity and elected officials' accountability amid France's tense political climate.