François Bayrou, president of Modem, was acquitted by the Paris criminal court in the case of European parliamentary assistants. This decision, made with the benefit of the doubt, marks a turning point in the political career of the three-time presidential candidate.
The affair of the European parliamentary assistants has shaken the French political landscape in recent years. Defendants, including five former MEPs, were sentenced to suspended prison sentences, significant fines and a suspended period of ineligibility. However, François Bayrou and two other defendants were acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence to incriminate them.
The court stressed that no document in the file demonstrated that the president of Modem had asked MEPs to use fictitious parliamentary assistants. There was also no evidence of his knowledge of the non-performance of the parliamentary assistants’ contracts. However, the court clarified that it was likely that certain acts were carried out with his authorization, although this had not been proven.
This acquittal puts an end to seven years of nightmare for François Bayrou, who has always denied any involvement in this system of embezzlement of public funds. However, the prosecution had requested a heavy sentence against him, considering him to be the “main decision-maker” of this fraudulent system.
This court decision allows François Bayrou to regain his place on the political scene and to turn the page on this affair which disrupted his plans in 2017. Indeed, while he had contributed to the election of Emmanuel Macron in proposing an alliance, he had to leave the government after the opening of the investigation.
This acquittal also marks a turning point in the policy of Emmanuel Macron, who has also announced upcoming government appointments. If rumors have circulated about a possible entry of François Bayrou into the government, these remain unfounded for the moment.
In conclusion, the acquittal of François Bayrou in the European parliamentary assistants affair relieves the politician and allows him to regain his place on the political scene. This decision also marks an evolution in the way ministers are treated in legal cases, with acquittals possible even before a trial takes place. While waiting for further events, François Bayrou can finally concentrate on his political projects without the weight of this affair.