Philippe Martin had paid his ex-wife as parliamentary assistant between 2002 and 2013 when it was a fictitious job.
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The president of the department of Gers Philippe Martin, sentenced Tuesday, January 4 for embezzlement of public funds, announces that he is resigning from the head of the department, reports France Bleu Occitanie, Thursday. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
The former Minister of the Ecological Transition of François Hollande (2013-2014) was at the head of the department of Gers since 2014. He sent his letter of resignation to Céline Salles, the first vice-president of the Departmental Council, as required the procedure. In this letter, Philippe Martin mentions “a mixture of sadness, pride and confidence “. His departure comes, he said, “under special circumstances which leave a bitter taste”.
Philippe Martin was found guilty of embezzlement of public funds for having paid his ex-wife as a parliamentary assistant between 2002 and 2013 when it was a fictitious job. The former deputy of the Gers will have to reimburse the 238,000 received by his wife when he sat in the National Assembly. The couple were declared ineligible for three years. Philippe Martin will also have to pay a 70,000 fine, his ex-wife 30,000 euros.