Court clears France’s justice minister of conflict of interest following an unprecedented trial

By SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — A special court has cleared France’s justice minister of conflict of interest, ruling he was not guilty of having used his office to settle personal scores. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said after the ruling that Eric Dupond-Moretti will therefore remain a government member. Once a high-profile lawyer, Dupond-Moretti was accused of abusing his position to order probes targeting magistrates who investigated him, his friends and his former clients. Wednesday’s ruling marked a victory for Dupond-Moretti, who had denied wrongdoing and refused to resign. The proceedings in a court for alleged wrongdoing by the government marked the first time in modern France that a government minister was put on trial for actions taken while serving in the post.