Justice must be " removed from the deleterious doubt ", born after the words of the former head of the national financial prosecutor's office saying he had been " pressured " during the investigation into the Fillon case, estimates the Minister of Justice Nicole Belloubet in the Journal du Dimanche.
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" The words of the former financial prosecutor have, rightly or wrongly, distilled doubt about the independence and impartiality of justice in the conduct of this case, " said the Keeper of the Seals.
Read also: Fillon affair: a year ago, Éliane Houlette denied having been pressured
The ex-national financial prosecutor Eliane Houlette, retired for a year, was moved on June 10 before a parliamentary commission of " very close control " allegedly exercised by the public prosecutor's office, its direct supervisory authority, in the conduct of investigations launched in the midst of the 2017 presidential campaign.
Friday, she clarified that the pressures mentioned were " not on the facts alleged against Mr. Fillon or on the merits of the prosecution ", but " were purely procedural ." " Mr. Fillon was not charged at the request or under pressure from the executive, " she insisted. But his first statements sparked an avalanche of political reactions criticizing the instrumentalization of justice in this ultra-sensitive affair.
" It is essential to remove this deleterious doubt for the judiciary ", judge Nicole Belloubet in Le JDD.
Emmanuel Macron asked the Superior Judicial Council (CSM) for an opinion to " verify that the national financial prosecutor's office had conducted with confidence, without pressure " from the executive, its investigation into the Fillon spouses.
" The CSM is, under the terms of the Constitution, the body that assists the President of the Republic to guarantee the independence of the judiciary " , notes the Minister . " He will be able to assess whether the hierarchical power of the Attorney General of Paris, which results from the organization of our 'French public prosecutor's office' and cannot be challenged in itself, was exercised under conditions such as to affect the independence of the judiciary, ”she explains.
The CSM will be able “to hear all the protagonists ” , underlines Nicole Belloubet, who does not exclude from carrying out a judicial inspection, if the Council “ considers it necessary ”.
