Request for the waiver of the immunity of Marie-Christine Boutonnet

The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by HEIDI HAUTALA (Greens/EFA, FI) on the request to waive the immunity of Marie-Christine BOUTONNET (ENF, FR).

As a reminder, The examining magistrates at the Paris Regional Court requested the waiver of the parliamentary immunity of Marie-Christine Boutonnet in order to hear her in connection with a suspected criminal offence, namely funds received by virtue of the parliamentary assistant’s contract of a named individual.

During a search conducted at the headquarters of the Front National in February 2016, a number of documents were seized in the office of the treasurer of the Front National, which bore witness to this party’s desire to make ‘savings’ thanks to the European Parliament’s defraying the remuneration of employees of the party by virtue of their capacity as parliamentary assistants.

Marie-Christine Boutonnet explained her refusal to appear as summoned, invoking her European parliamentary immunity.

Since then, Marie-Christine Boutonnet has been heard by the investigating magistrates in Paris.

However, Members proposed to waive the immunity of the Member concerned, considering that there is no evidence of fumus persecutionis, particularly in view of the fact that proceedings are under way on the basis of similar charges against Members belonging to other Political Groups.

Therefore, the Committee on Legal Affairs recommended that the European Parliament waive the parliamentary immunity of Marie-Christine Boutonnet.