“For the past few days, I have been targeted by unfair attacks, which do a disservice to my political group, to electoral deadlines and more generally to democracy.“

She has denied wrongdoing and said that she is the victim of a “cabal”. She said she had reimbursed her spending on lingerie and other items and had been misled by staff about what was allowed for personal expenses.

“There are parliamentary outfits and personal outfits […], I do not wear the same clothes in my personal and my professional life,” Dubost told Mediapart.

She blamed an assistant at the time for this situation: “He advised me badly, I was stupid … I am not a cheater.”

The parliamentary report found Dubost had also spent parliamentary funds on hotels, meals and outings that had little apparent bearing on her parliamentary duties. It has again highlighted the lack of oversight applied to the allowances granted to France’s 577 MPs beyond their salary.

Macron’s administration tightened the rules and required MPs to provide receipts for the almost €65,000 annual allowance they receive in advance for personal expenses. In addition, they receive €19,000 a year for office equipment, taxis, post and telephones, plus another €127,000 a year to pay their parliamentary assistants. They also have almost unlimited free domestic rail travel.

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The findings of an ethics investigation into Dubost are embarrassing for Macron at a crucial time in the French Assembly election campaign. While En Marche is leading in the polls, it is set to face a united challenge from France’s previously divided left.

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