french justice condemned this monday centrist Modem partybut acquitted its leader, François Bayrou, of a conspiracy Fake deputy parliamentarians European Parliament. The Paris Court found 8 of the 11 leaders of this formation (the second most represented leader in the parliament within the Macronist coalition) guilty and were tried for this reason last autumn. issueIt is based on the fact that European Parliament funds were used to pay party employees.
Although the Paris Court recognized the existence of crimes and convicted the majority of MoDem representatives, it acquitted the group’s leader, Bayrou. “Nothing allows us to confirm that there is evidence In his decision, Judge Gérald Bégranger spoke of the “failure to fulfill the contracts of parliamentary assistants”. The judge also acknowledged that some of the acts on trial were “most likely” committed “with Bayrou’s permission.” lack of evidence However, it did benefit the former Minister of Education (between 1993 and 1997) and the Minister of Justice (for just over a month in 2017).
“A nightmare that lasted seven years”
Bayrou, who preferred to see the glass half full after the decision was announced, said, “The seven-year nightmare is now over.” Historical mayor of Pau (Southern France) Support was crucial in Emmanuel Macron’s victory in 2017He had to resign as Minister of Justice that year due to the accusations. Real High Commissioner of the Plan A government body created in 2020 has built “integrity and leading by example” into the DNA of its personality; this came into question after his party was condemned over this corruption case.
But Bayrou has another consolation prize: to do avoided a suspended prison sentence and 30-month disqualificationplus a fine of 700,000 euros at the request of the prosecutor’s office. This acquittal could restart the career of this veteran leader, who ran in presidential elections in 2002, 2007 and 2012. Even though Bayrou is 72 years old He did not rule out running for office in the 2027 elections and try to replace Macron, who cannot be re-elected due to the constitutional two-term limit.
Conditional imprisonment of 12 to 18 months
A bleaker political future awaits eight centrist leaders, including five former MPs Sentenced to suspended sentence of 12 to 18 months. MoDem and UDF, the traditional formation of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, of which Bayrou was a part until 2007, were also found guilty as legal entities. They were all sentenced for their participation in a conspiracy that involved paying party workers in Paris through funds earmarked for each MP’s assistants. Total, They transferred 293 thousand euros from the European Parliament Between 2005 and 2017.
European Parliament lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve, who attended the hearing as a civil party, said that he “accepted that the decision was a hoax” but assessed that “this was not a systematic operation.” . far right Marine Le Pen and other representatives of the National Regrouping will take the stand for another similar case at the end of the year. And in this case, they may be sentenced to more severe penalties. issue The prosecutor’s office accuses them of being “systemic in nature”.