France must take “energetic measures”, warns the Council of Europe

Paris “has only implemented or dealt with satisfactorily” two of the 18 recommendations from a previous report, points out this human rights organization, without links to the EU.

He deplores, for example, the lack of control of the president’s asset declarations. In a report on Wednesday April 10, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body calls for “strong measures” to France to prevent corruption in the political sphere.

The Council of Europe, which is not an organ of the European Union, brings together 46 states including France, and has the mission of “promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law”.

Its Group of States against corruption (Greco) notes that Paris “has not implemented or addressed satisfactorily” only two of the 18 recommendations made in a previous report. Of the remaining sixteen recommendations, ten were partially implemented and six were not.

“The obligation to submit a declaration of assets and a declaration of interests and activities by presidential candidates and their publicity are positive elements”, salutes the organ. However, he regrets that “the declarations of the elected candidate are not subject to any control” by the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP) upon taking office.

Progress requested “as soon as possible”

El Greco still regrets that the composition of the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) remains “unchanged”while he had recommended “that, for acts of corruption relating to the exercise of their functions, members of the government are subject to a jurisdiction guaranteeing total independence and impartiality”. The CJR, which includes a large majority of parliamentarians, “is likely to cast doubt on the independence and impartiality of this jurisdiction”.

The body of the Council of Europe invites the president of its Statutory Committee to send to the permanent representative of France, the former Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye, “a letter (…) drawing attention to the non-compliance with the relevant recommendations and to the need to take vigorous measures with a view to achieving tangible progress as soon as possible”.