French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin loses magistrates' confidence over Lyhanna case

The Union Syndicale des Magistrats (USM) declared that Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin has “lost the trust” of magistrates after the handling of the murder of 11‑year‑old Lyhanna. USM deputy secretary‑general Aurélien Martini criticised the minister for exposing judges to public anger and accused him of protecting himself rather than addressing responsibility. The USM also pointed to serious procedural failures in the investigation of suspect Jérôme Barella, who had previously been reported for pedocriminal offences, and noted pending administrative sanctions against a substitute prosecutor in Auch. The union described the justice system as overwhelmed by numerous priorities set by Darmanin, stating that “when everything is a priority, nothing is.” The criticism comes amid calls for a day of action on criminal sentencing law and justice resources.