MoDem assistants: François Bayrou back on appeal, European Parliament money in question

Parliamentary assistants are meant to assist parliamentarians; the charge suspects they mostly assisted a party. The appeal trial of François Bayrou and ten former MoDem figures opened on 9 September. At issue: the alleged use of European parliamentary assistants — paid by the European Parliament — who actually worked for the party. The case involves €293,253 across ten contracts, per Le Monde. Bayrou was acquitted at first instance. Presumed innocent.

The alleged mechanism is the now-familiar diversion of assistants: having an assembly fund staff who, in fact, serve the party machine. The debate is about the reality of the parliamentary work done: genuine assistance or disguised party employment?

A comparable mechanism, a singular case

The alleged pattern objectively recalls the parliamentary assistants of other parties, judged elsewhere: the same core question about the line between parliamentary and party work. But each case has its own facts and procedure: the comparison lights the mechanism, it does not prejudge the outcome.

The decisive point here is the acquittal at first instance. It does not close the case — the appeal retries it fully — but it recalls that at this stage no guilt is established against François Bayrou.

An ongoing trial, presumption of innocence

Caution: the appeal trial is ongoing; no final judgment is rendered, and the first-instance acquittal remains the only decision to date. The presumption of innocence applies to all defendants. The elements come from the press, in the conditional.

Magouilles & Compagnie verdict

Magouille or calomnie? An appeal trial and a first-instance acquittal; no established guilt. Holding verdict: when a former prime minister renews his court subscription, it is the very definition of a parliamentary assistant that goes back under review.