Eric Dupond-Moretti has rather strained relations with the magistrates' unions.

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Jacques Witt / SIPA

Eric Dupond-Moretti wants to "move forward".

Faced with accusations of "conflict of interest" after the opening of an administrative investigation targeting magistrates from the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF), the Minister of Justice pledged Monday to let the Prime Minister decide on the follow-up to be given.

In a video posted Monday evening on Facebook, he returned to the sling of magistrates he has faced since the opening of an administrative investigation targeting three PNF magistrates.

This investigation opened in mid-September follows a report on a controversial investigation by the PNF: the telephone records of several tenors of the bar, including Eric Dupond-Moretti, had been peeled to try to identify a "mole" in a case involving Nicolas Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog.

Dupond-Moretti had lodged a complaint before withdrawing her upon her appointment as Keeper of the Seals.

The opening of the administrative investigation was however seen by many magistrates as a “conflict of interest” and an “attack on judicial independence”, denounced by the unions and in motions adopted in around 100 jurisdictions.

A "diversion" from the unions

“The unions are asking me to hand over to the Prime Minister.

[…] Very good, ”announced the Minister.

It is up to the Prime Minister that "it will be up to the decision," he said, pledging to send him the investigation report.

"Either the report says no fault has been committed and I will be the happiest Keeper of the Seals in the world.

Either mistakes have been made and we will then see the decision that the Prime Minister will take.

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However, he once again denied any conflict of interest and denounced a "fabricated case" and "used against [him] for political ends".

He also considered that it was a “diversion” from the unions who say “no to everything” and do not want to “talk about the real issues”.

The two main magistrates' unions had recently announced "refusing" to speak to the minister and defer to the president or the prime minister.

"I have a little trouble understanding why he passes his hand if he says there is no conflict of interest," responded Céline Parisot, president of the Union Syndicale de la Magistrature (USM , majority) Monday evening.

"He is laughing at us," approved Katia Dubreuil, president of the SM (classified on the left).

"How can we be reassured when we see that he says 'I'm going to give my hand to the Prime Minister' as if we were on a whim?

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  • Jean Castex

  • Society

  • Eric Dupond-Moretti

  • Conflict of interest