Former French PM Philippe’s mayoral workplace searched in corruption inquiry | EUROtoday

Issued on: 03/04/2024 – 17:13

1 min

Philippe, the mayor of Le Havre, is extensively seen as a possible candidate to succeed Emmanuel Macron within the 2027 French presidential election.

The judicial supply, talking to Reuters on situation of anonymity, stated the search was “part of a preliminary investigation opened in December 2023 on charges of influence peddling, favouritism, misappropriation of public funds and psychological harassment”.

Philippe’s workplace stated in an announcement that he and his workforce “stand entirely and serenely at the disposal of the prosecutors to provide all of the elements necessary for the investigation”.

Earlier, talking to the BFM TV information channel, Philippe stated he and his workforce deliberate to point out investigators “we respected the rules”.

French newspaper Le Monde, which first reported the probe, stated on Wednesday it was concentrating on Philippe immediately, in addition to a few of his aides.

Philippe resigned as prime minister in 2020 forward of a authorities reshuffle. He was Macron’s first prime minister, having defected from the conservative Les Republicans social gathering to affix the president’s workforce after the 2017 election.

In 2020, Philippe was re-elected mayor of Le Havre, an industrial port city in northern France the place he constructed his political profession.

(Reuters)