- Title: France's Bayrou presents ethics bill amid inquiry into Macron minister
- Date: 1st June 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 1, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FRENCH JUSTICE MINISTER, FRANCOIS BAYROU, STEPPING ONTO PLATFORM AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALIST FILMING BAYROU HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH JUSTICE MINISTER, FRANCOIS BAYROU, SAYING: "For years we have observed certain practices develop which have hurt, cracked and broken the trust citizens should have in their government and which profoundly irritates the French people. Collectively, we need to win back the trust." JOURNALIST AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH JUSTICE MINISTER, FRANCOIS BAYROU, SAYING: "It is not about letting people think that we will fix individual moral issues with a law. Morality is a personal question, and even a question of personal consciousness. Each person has their own opinion, we would rather it were more demanding than more lenient. But nobody could think a law would make all the actors of our public life nor all the citizens virtuous." PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TERRITORIAL COHESION MINISTER AT CENTRE OF ALLEGED FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT SCANDAL, RICHARD FERRAND, ARRIVING AT ELYSEE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE FOR CABINET MEETING PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 31, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JUNIOR EUROPE AFFAIRS MINISTER, MARIELLE DE SARNEZ, LEAVING ELYSEE PALACE PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 1, 2017) (REUTERS) JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION DURING BAYROU'S NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH JUSTICE MINISTER, FRANCOIS BAYROU, SAYING: "The first measure will prohibit hiring members of one's family, which will be true both for members of the government and also for members of parliament and for the members of local councils."
- Embargoed: 15th June 2017 16:15
- Keywords: Ferrand Macron law moralisation ethics Bayrou
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0036JG5GSN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French Justice Minister Francois Bayrou presented on Thursday (June 1) a bill to toughen up ethical standards for public officials, as fellow cabinet minister Richard Ferrand withstood pressure to resign over alleged impropriety in financial dealings.
Junior European Affairs Minister Marielle de Sarnez has also been accused of misconduct over hiring a helper in her work as a member of the European Parliament. Both Ferrand and de Sarnez have denied wrongdoing.
Media reports about Ferrand focus on his management of a medical insurance group as well as his hiring of his son as an assistant paid from parliamentary funds.
While hiring family as parliamentary assistants is banned in some countries, it is not illegal in France.
Failed conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon's campaign was derailed by sleaze allegations and he is now under formal investigation, not because he paid members of his family from public funds, but because of allegations that his wife in particular did not do much actual work for the money.
The proposed new legislation to clean up political practices is set to ban hiring of family by members of parliament.
It also suggests limiting politicians' time in power to three successive mandates, as well as abolishing the Republic's Court of Justice. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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