The report of the Estates General of Justice, which aroused “very high expectations”, must not end up “in a drawer”, warned Wednesday François Molins, one of the highest magistrates in France. “I hope that it will not end up in a drawer” and that “our rulers will have the strength (…) and the will for things to move forward quickly”, declared the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation on France Inter.
This report, submitted on July 8 to the President of the Republic, draws up the severe report of “the state of advanced dilapidation” of an institution “on the verge of rupture” and proposes some “remedies” to deal with the crisis.
On the basis of its conclusions, consultations were initiated at the end of July between the Minister of Justice and the judicial world with the aim of “taking, from the start of the school year, concrete and rapid decisions” and “implementing projects in depth “, had then informed the Elysée.
“Reform the way of recruiting” magistrates, clerks and legal assistants
But, despite two meetings with the Keeper of the Seals, “I have no information today (…) either on the timetable or on the directions that will be taken to implement all these recommendations”, lamented François Molins . “Justice today is (…) on the brink of rupture and the system is only holding up thanks to the commitment and daily dedication of magistrates, civil servants and other justice assistants,” he said.
Among the priority avenues, he cited the fact of “stopping with legislative inflation” and underlined the need to “reform the way of recruiting” magistrates, clerks and legal assistants. Emmanuel Macron announced in June 2021 the establishment of the Estates General of Justice after having met at their request François Molins and Chantal Arens, then first president of the Court of Cassation.
“The urgency of the situation” of justice in France
The two highest magistrates in France, who also chaired the Superior Council of the Judiciary, had informed him of the “urgency of the situation” of justice in France and of their concern at the “systematic questioning of justice “, criticized for its slowness and its laxity supposed by police unions and political leaders.
François Molins, 69, who will retire in a few months, had again denounced in January the “untenable working conditions” and the “structural lack of means” of justice during the solemn hearing of the return of the Court of cassation, in a speech described as “scandalous” by the Keeper of the Seals Eric Dupond-Moretti.