French justice ministry searched, minister summoned in abuse of power case

Following last week's police search of the offices of the Ministry of Justice as part of an investigation into a possible abuse of power, the minister himself, Eric Dupond-Moretti, has now been summoned for questioning by the Republican Court of Justice, the sole institution entitled to investigate a serving member of government.

Eric Dupont-Moretti, France's Minister for Justice, has been summoned as part of an investigation into abuse of power charges FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFP

Eric Dupond-Moretti is suspected of having used his position as justice minister to straighten out a few difficulties related to cases for which he was responsible as a lawyer.

For example, in September 2020, the minister ordered the investigation of three judges working for the National Financial Court.

These three had earlier been responsible for an investigation attempting to discover the identity of the court insider who had warned Nicolas Sarkozy and his legal advisors that their phones were being tapped in a corruption case.

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Accusations of "settling scores"

The three judges examined the phone bills of several lawyers, including those of Dupond-Moretti, who took an action against them for violation of privacy, only to withdraw his complaint the day before he was nominated minister.

Duly appointed, Minister Dupond-Moretti also ordered the launcing of an inquiry into the professional behaviour of another judge, Édouard Levrault, with whom he had clashed when himself working as a court lawyer.

At the trial before Levrault of a high-ranking police officer represented by Dupond-Moretti, the man who is now the top lawyer in the land described the judge's methods as being those of a "cow-boy".

Levrault has sinced been forced to resign.

➡Les Juges veulent "se payer" #DupondMoretti ?

🗣Me @HerveLehman
"Derrière cette affaire, la vraie question, c'est celle de la responsabilité des magistrats. Ce qu'ils n'acceptent pas, c'est que l'on aille rechercher leur responsabilité, ils ne le veulent pas"

📱#La26 pic.twitter.com/ObQYVpxWO1

— LCI (@LCI) July 2, 2021

Nothing to fear

In his capacity as minister, Dupond-Moretti is not allowed any direct involvement in cases in which he had an interest as a regular lawyer.

But the three lawyers' trade unions which have called for the current investigation into the minister's behaviour allege that he has used his position to settle old scores.

Eric Dupond-Moretti told a weekly newspaper last Sunday that he had nothing to fear from the on-going investigation. He accuses the trade unions of trying to force him out of the justice ministry.