By Victor Goury-Laffont
鈥淎fter years of proceedings, investigations, summonses, and public accusations, justice has spoken,” V茅ran said. “Managing the unpredictable means, in uncertainty, doing our best. We acted with sincerity and responsibility. We committed no fault, no intentional wrongdoing.”
The court did not immediately respond to POLITICO鈥檚 request for comment.
The judicial inquiry was launched after hundreds of complaints in the early stages of the pandemic were leveled against the three officials, including some lodged by organizations representing medical professionals and the families of France’s first Covid fatalities.
The complaints targeted a series of missteps in the early days of the pandemic, including the lack of reserves of masks and respirators and the decision to hold the first round of municipal elections across the country on March 15, 2020, just days before a nationwide lockdown was announced.
The court ruled in 2020 that nine of the claims were valid and opened the investigation.