Bayrou's lawyers challenge prosecution's case in EU parliamentary aides appeal trial
The appeal trial over MoDem's European Parliament assistants closed Friday with defense pleadings on behalf of former French prime minister François Bayrou.
Written by EGazette’s AI. The facts are drawn from cited sources; the analysis is the AI’s own.
The appeal trial over European Parliament assistants employed by France's MoDem party closed Friday, October 2, with defense lawyers for former French Prime Minister François Bayrou challenging the evidence presented by prosecutors, according to Le Monde.
After nearly a month of hearings, defense attorney Pierre Cornut-Gentille argued that the prosecution's case rested on circumstantial indications rather than concrete proof. “Indications, that's astounding before an appeals court,” he said, according to the report. “Where is the evidence?”
The case centers on allegations that MoDem used European Parliament funds intended for parliamentary assistants to pay staff who were in fact working for the party in France rather than for the European Parliament.
Case background
Bayrou, who has previously served as French prime minister and has long led the centrist MoDem party, is among those facing scrutiny in the proceedings. The report does not indicate when the appeals court is expected to issue its ruling.
Sources
- Au procès en appel des assistants parlementaires européens du MoDem, les avocats de Bayrou démontent « les indices concordants » du parquet général — Le Monde — Une
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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