The criminal case against Edouard Philippe has just been expanded into the area of administrative justice. With, as an epilogue, the withdrawal of a deliberation by the urban community of Le Havre that granted functional protection to the city’s mayor, former prime minister (2017-2020).
On April 3, the world revealed a series of searches carried out by the anti-corruption police in the town hall of Le Havre (Seine-Maritime), as well as at the headquarters of the urban community of Le Havre Seine Métropole, within the framework of a preliminary investigation opened in December 2023, by the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) for “illegal appropriation of interests”, “embezzlement of public funds”, “favoritism” and “moral harassment”. These investigations are addressed to Edouard Philippe, mayor of Le Havre and president of the urban community, and his deputy in charge of innovation and digital, and also community advisor, Stéphanie De Bazelaire.
The matter began when the former deputy general director of the community, Judith (requested anonymity, her name was changed), filed a complaint against the two elected officials before the PNF, in September 2023. At the center of her complaint: a multi-year agreement of objectives jointly signed, on July 30, 2020, by Mr. Philippe, as president of the urban community, and Mr.me De Bazelaire, volunteer president of the LH French Tech association, responsible for the management and operation of the Digital City of Le Havre.
An intervention behind closed doors
Functional protection (the legal and financial assistance that an elected official within the community where he works can benefit from in the event of a criminal accusation) was voted on and granted, on April 11, by the urban community to Mr. Philippe and M .me From Bazelaire, “during the entire procedure in question.” This deliberation, as we learned the world and the Norman research media the octopuswas challenged before the administrative court of Rouen by Judith. The community then withdrew this deliberation, nullifying its effects.
The complainant filed an appeal before the administrative court of Rouen, on June 12, against the principle of functional protection without a time limit granted to the two elected officials, considering that this decision was vitiated by illegality and should be annulled. He stressed that the agenda would have been established by Mr. Philippe shortly after the searches, unless the existence of a deportation order could be proven. According to the complainant, during the session no substantive analysis was carried out on the circumstances of the case and the amounts to be set in a possible process. It considers that Mr. Philippe was in a situation of conflict of interest and would have exerted influence on the conditions of the vote and its execution, by making a statement before the vote.
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