Status: 07/16/2021 4:57 p.m.
The French judiciary has opened an investigation against Justice Minister Dupond-Moretti. The former defense attorney is said to have used his office to personally settle accounts with several judges.
French Justice Minister Éric Dupont-Moretti is formally accused of a conflict of interest. A special court that is responsible for allegations against members of the government gave investigating judges more time to investigate suspicions of a serious violation. Previously there had been about six hours of interrogation.
Lawyer Christophe Ingrain announced that they wanted to take action against the decision. Dupond-Moretti has always denied the allegations against him and said that he would not resign because of it. Prime Minister Jean Castex once again expressed his full confidence in his Justice Minister in a letter. President Emmanuel Macron was not expected to fire him because of this.
Suspicion of personal vengeance
According to the broadcaster France Info, the investigation is about Dupond-Moretti having used his position as Minister of Justice to settle disputes from his time as a lawyer. To this end, he is said to have ordered administrative investigations against three senior officials in the judiciary. The judges’ association lodged a complaint against it, triggering an investigation into possible conflicts of interest.
The opening of a preliminary investigation in France does not amount to an indictment. The process can ultimately lead to a criminal case if the investigators see sufficient evidence against the accused. Otherwise, you can stop the proceedings again.
Even before his appointment, Dupond-Moretti was not without controversy in France. He was known as a star defender and worked as a lawyer in various high-profile lawsuits.