A whistleblower accusing Edouard Philippe of embezzlement of public funds takes the matter to an investigating judge.

She does not intend to stop there. After an initial complaint in September 2023 , a whistleblower has filed a new one in Paris so that an investigating judge can investigate suspicions of misappropriation of public funds and favoritism concerning Édouard Philippe , former Prime Minister and Horizons mayor of Le Havre, the complainant's lawyer announced on Monday.

Jérôme Karsenti told AFP, France Inter and Le Monde that he had filed this complaint on Friday, with civil action, which almost systematically allows for referral to an investigating judge, for moral harassment, favouritism, misappropriation of public funds, illegal taking of interest and bribery.

With this new complaint "for the same facts, and apparently choosing to mention others, the complainant is continuing her sad vendetta, which has nothing to do with the cry of a whistleblower but everything to do with the dissatisfaction of a senior civil servant whose contract was not renewed," Édouard Philippe told AFP, who "refutes all the accusations."

Also targeted are Stéphanie de Bazelaire, deputy in charge of innovation and digital technology, and Claire-Sophie Tasias, director general of services for the urban community of Le Havre Seine Métropole.

Following the complaint in September 2023, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) opened an investigation and conducted searches in the spring of 2024. "We have absolutely no idea in which direction the investigation will take," emphasizes Mr. Karsenti, fearing "a paralysis" of the PNF in the face of "a probable future presidential candidate."

"I feel like the case is not moving forward. I continue to suffer the consequences of my whistleblowing, even though I only did my duty," the complainant, Judith (not her real name), who was granted whistleblower status, a status contested by Édouard Philippe, told the three media outlets.

Investigations are "still ongoing, with the exploitation of documents seized during the search," a judicial source told AFP.

The suspicions relate to a multi-year objectives agreement for the animation of the Digital City of Le Havre signed in July 2020 between Édouard Philippe , president of the urban community Le Havre Seine Métropole, and Stéphanie de Bazelaire, this time as voluntary president of the LH French Tech association.

The conflict of interest "seems absolutely obvious," considers Judith, deputy director general of the urban community between September 2020 and April 2023. LH French Tech, created in July 2020 and the only candidate, was designated for this mission following a call for expressions of interest launched by the urban community in March 2020 and within the framework of a service of general economic interest (SIEG) which provided for 2.154 million euros.

After her alerts, Judith says she was morally harassed and her contract was not renewed. LH French Tech was placed in receivership in 2023.