Abuse of office: France's justice minister on trial
France's Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti is to stand trial from today on suspicion of abuse of office. Following his appointment, the minister is said to have initiated investigations into senior members of the judiciary who had crossed him during his earlier time as a lawyer.
One case involved an investigating judge in Monaco, the other three judges from the national financial prosecutor's office. The proceedings against all four were dropped. Several unions of judges and public prosecutors had brought the allegations against Dupond-Moretti (62). He has denied the allegations.
Macron sticks by his minister
Dupond-Moretti must stand trial in Paris before a special court that is exclusively responsible for misconduct by ministers in the performance of their duties. The trial is scheduled to last until November 17. During the short trial period, the minister will not be suspended from office, but has asked to be excused from the cabinet meeting. Dupond-Moretti faces up to five years in prison and a 500,000 euro fine if found guilty. For President Emmanuel Macron, who has stuck by the minister despite the accusations, his conviction would be a setback.
Dupond-Moretti (62) was surprisingly promoted to the head of the Ministry of Justice during a government reshuffle in 2020. Even before his appointment, Dupond-Moretti was not without controversy in France. He was known as a star defense attorney and was a lawyer in various high-profile trials. Dupond-Moretti is in a relationship with the French-Canadian pop and chanson singer Isabelle Boulay.
The allegations of abuse of office against Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti involve initiating investigations into judicial figures who had previously crossed him during his time as a lawyer. Despite the trial, Dupond-Moretti's request for leave from the cabinet meeting indicates his confidence in the justice processes and his belief in the fairness of the proceedings against him.
Source: www.dpa.com
