France has decided to bring Justice Minister Eric Dupont-Moretti to a special trial over allegations that he abused his position to take revenge on judges he held a grudge against while working as a lawyer.

The three-judge panel found that there was “sufficient evidence to refer the case to the Court of the Republic, the only legal body in France with the power to pass judgment on ministers for offenses in the line of duty”.

His lawyers told AFP they will appeal the decision and will continue to maintain his innocence. DuPont Moretti, who is best known for defending dissident Societe Generale trader Jerome Kerviel and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, is the first justice minister to face such a trial. . . .

Transparency International France called for his resignation, stating that “allowing him to continue working would create a sense of public distrust in the political class.”

The case raised concerns with President Emmanuel Macron, who nominated Dupont Moretti in 2020 and gave him a rundown of justice reform that has suffered from budget and staffing shortages that have led to long delays in cases ranging from divorce to major crimes.”