More than a year and a half after its opening, the preliminary investigation into Ségolène Royal was closed on Monday by the national financial prosecutor (PNF). This investigation, entrusted to the Economic Crime Repression Brigade (BRDE), focused on the use of public funds by the former minister when she held the position of Ambassador of the Arctic and Antarctic Poles (2017-2020) but also as Minister of the Environment, Energy and the Sea (2014-2017).
“The investigations carried out within the framework of this investigation did not make it possible to demonstrate the commission of any offense”, announced in a press release the financial public prosecutor, Jean-François Bohnert. The investigation was opened in November 2019, when the investigation unit of Radio France accused it of using the funds allocated to its mission for personal purposes, in particular for the promotion of his book (What I can finally tell you) or its foundation “Desires for the future for the planet”.
An envelope of 100,000 euros
According to Radio France, the personal assistant and the communications advisor attached to her office had, together or separately, accompanied her on several occasions for a year and a half on events unrelated to her official activity. Responsible for international negotiations for the Arctic and Antarctic Poles, she then had an envelope of 100,000 euros per year and three collaborators, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The public media also reported high taxi bills, for example a total of 1,430 euros for the month of November 2017, contrary to the ministry’s instructions asking ambassadors to avoid the “expensive” use of taxis.
Dismissed from her duties as ambassador after the controversy
The former PS candidate in the second round of the 2007 presidential election denounced “slanderous and defamatory insinuations” concerning this voluntary function. “How do you expect me to cheat even though a financial controller is monitoring the use of public money?” She pleaded. “It makes no sense”, she insisted, “except to want to discredit me because of my political positions”.
Following this controversy, Ségolène Royal, very critical of the executive, was dismissed from her duties as ambassador in January 2020. In November, the diplomat and writer Olivier Poivre d’Arvor took over as ambassador of the Poles and maritime issues.