Edward Philip can breathe. Hearing on the management of the Covid-19 crisis by the magistrates of the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), the former prime minister was on Tuesday appointed as a supporting witness. He is avoiding indictment for now. This review follows the nine appeals deemed admissible that were convicted “danger of other people’s lives and voluntary refraining from disaster fighting”.considering, in particular, the lack of expectation of the executive to fight against the epidemic.
In September 2021, after the accusation of the former Minister of Health Agnes Bouzin, the mayor of Le Havre feared the same judicial development. The magistrates ultimately felt that at this stage they had not gathered enough serious or consistent evidence to take this step. A good sign, because if he is not charged, Edouard Philippe cannot be brought before the CJR, the only court that has the power to prosecute and try members of the government for crimes or misdemeanors committed in the line of duty.
The relatives of the ambitious Edward Philip are delighted with this judicial heaven, which is being cleansed. However, instructions were given not to touch on this difficult and thorny issue. The former prime minister himself did not publicly react. “It is not clear that I strongly dispute the charges brought against me. But as I myself am concerned with the future decisions of the CJR magistrates, I forbid myself from speaking on these topics for the time being.”in the interview he just mentioned parisian on October 8.
His former government colleagues are also reluctant to elaborate. Guest on Sunday afternoon on Franceinfo, Gabriel Attal, who was not at the time “Not immediately in the management of this crisis” as Secretary of State for Youth Affairs, simply announced. “I saw a prime minister and ministers constantly looking for what is in the common interest of the French people. » Now the minister’s delegate for public accounts, however, encouraged the inquiry by looking “In light of what we knew then, and not the knowledge we have two or three years later.”
Government spokesman and former health minister Olivier Veran, who was in office during the health crisis, is also under investigation but has not yet been heard from. On Sunday in CNews, however, he assured. “As the Minister of Health, I have never made any decision inspired by the fear of justice. » If he considers “normal” that government members should “responsible”he also warned against “This Temptation” to judge “In the light of the acquired knowledge, when you are judged, and not in the light of the moment when you made decisions.”
“Political judges”.
These latest episodes again discuss the relevance of this famous court of justice of the Republic established in 1993. In his first five-year term, Emmanuel Macron even announced its abolition through constitutional reform, which ultimately never saw the light of day. . “Our country needs a bold executive, not a cautious or restrained generation, who will be constantly hampered by the prospect of criminal proceedings while performing their duties.”was defended by the head of state in 2018.
The voices within the majority would like the subject to return to the table. “We will have to put the abolition of the KRD on the agenda again. Of course, we cannot judge a politician like anyone else, but magistrates cannot turn into political judges., thinks an elected official close to Eduard Philip. A member of the majority is nervous. “How can a judge assess crisis management?” It is asymmetrical. compared to a politician who faces events, a judge knows the end of the story. »
Source: Le Figaro
