TheThe French justice minister was acquitted of charges of conflicts of interest and abuse of office on Wednesday, ending a years-long saga that had cast a cloud over President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to run a clean government, reports the Financial Times. The decision by a special tribunal in Paris will clear the way for Éric Dupond-Moretti, a former celebrity defence lawyer who Macron named as an unconventional pick for justice minister in 2020, to remain in his post. But it also immediately reignited criticism of the tribunal, known as the Cour de Justice de la République, which is made up of three judges and 12 members of parliament, for being overly politicised and ineffective. The body is the only one that can judge ministers for alleged wrongdoing committed while in office. When he was first elected in 2017, Macron promised to run a more transparent government where any minister who was placed under official investigation would have to step down. In France, such a move is called mise en examen and is one step short of an indictment. But Macron has since backed several ministers and top advisers who have run into legal problems to stay in office until definitive judgments have been passed. That has sparked criticism from political opponents and activist groups like Transparency International.
