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2026-08-05 14:32 UTC → 2026-08-08 03:28 UTC ·
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French PM Office Harassment Probe Escalates
In June 2026 the The Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation in June 2026 after a senior civil servant filed a complaint alleging alleged moral harassment and endangerment within the Prime Minister’s Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s office (Matignon). The probe follows a series of tragic incidents: events, including two confirmed suicides among staff in March 2026, two earlier suicide attempts between October 2024 and early 2025, and a death initially previously described as “suspect.” “suspect” death. Employees describe have reported a hostile work environment marked by isolation, exclusion from meetings and confinement to a basement office, which they say persisted despite multiple internal inquiries. The office. In August 2026 the investigation is linked was reaffirmed as two civil servants were again found to political turbulence after the June 2024 dissolution of have died by suicide, with several other staff members attempting self‑harm in recent months. The case has been assigned to the National Assembly Brigade de répression de la délinquance contre la personne, and the rapid turnover Matignon has launched internal inquiries into working conditions and psychosocial risks. The incidents have intensified scrutiny of four prime ministers, prompting Lecornu’s leadership, especially after an external earlier overdose involving a senior agricultural adviser. Authorities warn that the inquiry could lead to disciplinary, administrative or criminal consequences if serious misconduct is confirmed, while a broader audit of the roughly 4,000‑person administration to assess workplace wellbeing and systemic issues. Internal inquiries have been launched across several ministries, and the judicial investigation by the Paris prosecutor continues alongside the planned audit. parallel internal reviews in other ministries.