Marianne Fund: the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office opens a judicial investigation

After the controversy, place for justice. The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) has opened a judicial investigation into the use of the Marianne fund. Launched in 2021 by Marlène Schiappa to fight against separatism after the ******ination of Samuel Paty, the use of subsidies allocated to two ***ociations is particularly debated.

The judicial investigation opened by the PNF relates in particular to suspicions of embezzlement of public funds, breach of trust and illegal taking of interests, as revealed by France Inter earlier this Thursday. An examining magistrate will therefore now look into the management of these subsidies, which are supposed to allow the promotion of the values ​​of the Republic.

A commission of inquiry in the Senate

According a joint survey by Marianne magazine and France 2 broadcast at the end of March, the main beneficiary structure of the funds (an ***ociation called USEPPM), to the tune of 355,000 euros, would have only fed a website and publications with very little follow on social networks. Some 120,000 euros were used to pay two of its ex-leaders.

According to information from Mediapart, several left-wing personalities, including the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, had been denigrated in certain content disseminated by these structures. Marlène Schiappa called these accusations “slander” and filed a complaint for “defamation”.

Unanimously demanded by the Senate Finance Committee, a commission of inquiry into the Marianne fund should also be voted on next week by senators. “The government, of course, will respond in full transparency,” Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told deputies on Tuesday.