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The Telegraph 'Corruption is still rife at top level of French government' By Henry Samuel in Paris (Filed: 27/03/2005) The French judge who first uncovered the corruption scandal engulfing the country's most senior politicians has claimed that bribery and cronyism are still rife at the highest levels of government. Eric Halphen, whose investigations into kickbacks from public works programmes led to a number of President Jacques Chirac's closest allies going on trial last week, said that the prosecutions "in no way" signalled an end to the corruption that has blighted French politics for decades. Mr Chirac: 'evidence' suggests he knew about the kickbacks Mr Halphen, who retired from the judiciary three years ago in protest when Mr Chirac was granted immunity from prosecution, laid some of the blame with French voters for not demanding purity in public life. "Corruption is not viewed as a cardinal sin here," he said. "The French love wheeler-dealers, politicians who sail close to the wind or slip through the net, because it proves that they are cunning enough to look after their electorate � Put it this way, Chirac knows how to be nice to people." Mr Halphen's comments, in an interview with The Telegraph, will embarrass the French political establishment, which had hoped that the high-profile court case would draw a line under the affair. In all, 47 people from across the political spectrum, including four former government ministers, could face up to 10 years' jail on charges of awarding public works contracts from City Hall in Paris in exchange for kickbacks worth tens of millions of pounds. The money was used to line party coffers, it is alleged. Mr Halphen, 45, uncovered the Paris public works fraud in 1994 while investigating a related case involving council housing, which led him to Mr Chirac in person. Last week, he insisted that France's political elite remained effectively untouchable. Judges were too embarrassed to investigate senior politicians because they moved in the same social circles, he said. "These cases in no way signal the end of high-level corruption in France," he said. "I have had several companies tell me recently that, despite all the court cases and scandals, the old organised systems of corruption, kickbacks and bribes are still intact, and anyone hoping to secure a deal with the public works sector has to play ball." His words were in direct contrast to comments by Claude Goasguen, the Paris deputy for the ruling UMP party, who argued last week that the mass trial was a relic of a system "from another era", before rules tightening the rules on party donation were introduced in 1994. Mr Halphen, now a novelist, argues that, until party leaders are brought to book, corruption will flourish. "Look at the defendants in last week's trial," he said. "They are just the middlemen. If the trial is about whether a political party was involved in a system of corruption, it stands to reason that the party leader should answer to the charges. "Judges don't dare pursue the top men. There is an unspoken pact because they all come from the same social strata." He also cited "the fear factor", claiming that during his own investigation into the council flats scandal he was bugged, followed and filmed, even on holiday. At one stage, he said, he feared for his life and those of his children. Mr Halphen said that only a complete overhaul of the judicial system would stem the corruption. "The president of the body that is supposed to guarantee judicial independence is none other than the President of the Republic himself," he said. "The justice minister is vice-president. That means, in theory, he can warn friends or colleagues if they are involved. I have examples, but cannot disclose them." Investigating judges have said that there is "strong and concordant evidence" that Mr Chirac was at the very least aware of the kickback scheme. They established in 2001 that he had paid the equivalent of about �330,000 in cash for dozens of luxury family holidays between 1992 and 1995. The source of this money has never been established. They also unearthed evidence that Mr Chirac had spent about �3,500 of City Hall funds each week on family groceries, including foie gras and truffles, much of it paid for in cash. Some of the reimbursed food bills were found to have been faked. Mr Chirac may still face charges in connection with a fake job scam while he was the mayor of Paris, and could lose his immunity from prosecution when his presidency ends in 2007. Yet his success in avoiding indictment has led to scepticism that "Supermenteur" (Super-liar), as his critics call him, will ever face a court. -- ----------------- R. A. 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