Non merci: French voters reject corruption in government

Associated Press

PARIS

French voters just won’t tolerate corruption in politics anymore — that appears to be the message from the swift downfall of the country’s powerful security minister.

It’s a notable shift from the past, when influence peddling seemed endemic and politicians untouchable, even when they were accused of shocking scandals.

The change is the result of an aggressive new financial prosecutor, an unprecedented anti-corruption drive by President Francois Hollande, and growing public frustration with a political establishment seen as intent on enriching itself even as ordinary people suffer.

Hollande on Thursday inaugurated the French anti-corruption agency, a public organization focusing on business activity — the latest move in government efforts to fight corruption.

Five years ago, Hollande campaigned on the promise to make the French Republic “exemplary.” He probably didn’t think he would have so much clean up to do in his own camp.

Former Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux on Tuesday became the fifth minister to quit the Socialist government over financial wrongdoing allegations. Prosecutors opened an investigation into a report that he hired his two daughters for some two dozen temporary parliamentary jobs, starting when they were 15 and 16 years old.

The case comes as France’s electoral campaign is being affected by a string of corruption scandals ahead of the country’s two-round presidential election on April 23 and May 7.

The conservative candidate Francois Fillon is the target an investigation into allegations that he gave his wife and two children government-funded jobs which they never did.

Fillon suggested Thursday that Hollande would intervene in legal cases to try to discredit political rivals. Hollande vigorously denounced those allegations as false and insisted he has never intervened in any judicial procedure.

Fillon, once considered the presidential front-runner, has sunk in polls following the press’ first revelations about the jobs in January.

Since then, allegations have come out that Fillon was also given suits worth more than 48,000 euros ($52,000) over the past five years — including two suits worth 13,000 euros ($14,000) last month. Judges are also investigating whether Fillon and his wife committed fraud and forgery in a cover-up attempt.

His supporters insist the principle of presumption of innocence should protect their candidate.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and some members of her anti-EU, anti-immigrant National Front party are also targeted in several ongoing investigations.

Polls suggest that Le Pen and independent centrist Emmanuel Macron are the two top contenders in the election. The top two vote-getters on April 23 will compete in a presidential runoff on May 7.