The debates in the National Assembly were disrupted on Tuesday March 7 after the Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti sent arms of honor in the hemicycle to the president of the group Les Républicains Olivier Marleix, who had just reminded the tribune his indictment for illegal taking of interest. The Keeper then said “regret this gesture”.
During discussions on a text by the Renaissance group for a mandatory ineligibility sentence against perpetrators of violence, Olivier Marleix recalled several cases concerning members of the presidential camp, including the Minister of Justice. It was while he descended from the rostrum that Mr. Dupond-Moretti would have sent arms of honor to the deputy. Questioned by an elected LR, the Minister of Justice immediately recognized his actions: “There is not a finger of honor, there are two, but accompanied by words each time. (…) I said “arm of honor to the presumption of innocence”, I said it twice. » These remarks provoked the indignation of the LR deputies, who left the hemicycle.
When the session resumed, the Keeper of the Seals explained and assured that “this arm of honor is not addressed to deputy Marleix”.
“If you took it for yourself, I regret this gesture (…) It is the gesture of someone who may have been wrong to react as he reacted to an accusation that he does not consider justified. and has been for two and a half years. »
“I apologize to him and to all the national representation”finally declared the minister, pressed by the right and the left to make amends.
“It is something unacceptable. We are here facing something completely new, it’s a scandal “denounced the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, to the press. “Giving a group president two arms of honor is unworthy of your position”also pointed to the patron saint of deputies La France insoumise Mathilde Panot.
Debates resumed after the Minister’s apologies.