Elysée poll trial: prison sentences required against Patrick Buisson and Claude Guéant – archyde

“The Augean stables of public management. ” The expression used by the prosecutor François-Xavier Dulin to describe the Elysee Palace of Nicolas Sarkozy is severe, as are the requisitions pronounced on Tuesday, November 9, in front of the 32^e chamber of the Paris Criminal Court, against the main protagonists of the Elysee polls trial by Mr. Dulin and his colleague Quentin Dandoy. After three hours of requisitions, the prosecution demanded two years in prison, including one year, as well as a 100,000 euros fine, against the ex-eminence grise of Nicolas Sarkozy, Patrick Buisson; and one year, including six months suspended, and 10,000 euros fine for the former secretary general of the Elysee, Claude Guéant.

Six months of suspended detention and a 70,000 euros fine were required against Pierre Giacometti, the other beneficiary of the contracts. The prosecution only demanded fines against the other two defendants, with a smaller role: 10,000 euros for the former chief of staff Emmanuelle Mignon, whose prosecutors recognize “Reforming ambition” – she tried to impose the public procurement code on the Elysee Palace, without succeeding completely -, and a 5,000 euros fine against the former “opinion” adviser Julien Vaulpré.

“Narcissization of the Republic”

It is with a quote from Nicolas Sarkozy that the prosecutor Quentin Dandoy began the indictment. In November 2007, the Head of State, protected in this case by his immunity – and who refused to speak when he was forced to appear as a witness in court – made a speech before the Court of Auditors, asserting than “The control of public accounts is not just a technical requirement, it is first and foremost a moral requirement. Public money is everyone’s money ”.

The Elysée is however then a place of “Lawlessness, in the very heart of the Republic”, as recalled by M^e Jérôme Karsenti, lawyer for the Anticor association, civil party, for whom this lawsuit “Tells a slice of the politico-financial history of this country”, but also a presidency marked by “The narcissization of the Republic”, who’s ordering “A survey every four days”.

It will take a “Ambitious reform” by Emmanuelle Mignon so that the Palace submits, willy-nilly, to the procedures of publicity and competition. With limits, as in the case of the contracts signed in 2007 and 2008 with Publifact, of Patrick Buisson, and Giacometti Péron, that of the former director of the Ipsos polling institute. From “Leonine contracts”, castigates the floor, which focuses particularly on the one that links the Elysee and Publifact, the company of Mr. Buisson.

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