Gérald Darmanin allegedly pressured the woman into sex in return for helping her clear her name in a legal dispute.
Sophie Spatz, a 46-year-old former call girl, filed a complaint against Mr Darmanin shortly after the May 2017 presidential election, but the investigation was closed after she failed to attend questioning by police.
She renewed her complaint in January, sparking a preliminary probe. Mrs Spatz told police she had approached Mr Darmanin in 2009 seeking legal help, but that she had felt “pressured into sex” when he touched her hand and said: “You too must help me”.
Mr Darmanin, a former right-wing lawmaker, has vehemently denied the accusations. His lawyers said Mrs Spatz was trying to “harm” the minister’s reputation, adding their client would file a counter-suit for slander.
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Mr Darmanin has no choice but to step down
But MPs have rounded on the minister.
Laurence Saillet, a spokesperson for France’s conservative The Republicans party, said yesterday: “Mr Darmanin has no choice but to step down.
“We have respect for the presumption of innocence. But in light of the grave accusations made against [Mr Darmanin] and in the interests of the serenity of public prosecution, he has no other choice but to resign.”
Another Republican, Lydia Guirous, echoed Mrs Saillet’s thoughts during an interview with France’s RFI radio on Monday.
Referring to the three ministers who were forced to quit the president’s all-stripes cabinet last year for their alleged involvement in a fake jobs scandal, she said: “The accusations are extremely grave… On the political front, it’s obvious that Emmanuel Macron’s irreproachable, virtuous team is falling apart.”
Socialist senator Laurence Rossignol, for her part, told Radio J on Sunday the rape claims were an “embarrassment” for a government which has pledged to make fighting violence against women a top priority.
The government, however, has rallied around Mr Darmanin, with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe saying on Saturday his minister had his “full trust”.
On Sunday, Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said Mr Darmanin had not been formally charged with any crime and had “no reason” to resign.
Right-wing heavyweight Xavier Bertrand, a former Republican, also spoke out in defence of the 35-year-old budget minister.
“@GDarmanin has my full support” he tweeted, before urging people to “respect the presumption of innocence” and slamming the “shameful” witch-hunt launched against Mr Darmanin.
On Sunday, four feminists launched a petition calling on Mr Philippe to sack Mr Darmanin.