Paris Court of Appeal sets December 17 verdict in François Bayrou trial

Concluding arguments in Paris

The Paris Court of Appeal concluded hearings on Friday, 2 October 2026, in the appeal trial concerning European Parliament assistants employed by the Democratic Movement (MoDem). The proceedings, which opened on 9 September 2026, examine allegations that European Union funds paid staff members who worked solely for the French centrist party. François Bayrou, the president of MoDem and a former French prime minister, spoke during the final session following closing arguments from defense counsel. Bayrou had secured an acquittal at the first-instance trial two years earlier, but the public prosecutor's office appealed the judgment to return the matter to court. The presiding judges announced that the court will deliver its verdict on 17 December 2026.

If we found no proof, it is because there is no system, no offense.

Prosecution claims and requested penalties

During a five-hour closing argument on Monday, 28 September 2026, the two prosecuting advocates general described what they identified as a systemic practice spanning from 2005 to 2017. The prosecution alleged that about ten executives and elected representatives from MoDem and its predecessor, the Union for French Democracy (UDF), arranged European Parliament contracts for party staff. While prosecutors acknowledged to the court that judges would find no direct written trail of orders issued by Bayrou, they maintained that a coherent series of clues established institutional responsibility. The prosecution asked the court to impose a two-year suspended prison sentence, a €50,000 fine, and three years of suspended ineligibility against Bayrou. Prosecutors also sought financial penalties of €100,000 each against MoDem and the UDF.

Defense response and absence of evidence

Defense attorneys delivered their final pleadings on Friday morning, challenging the prosecution's arguments regarding party administration and institutional wrongdoing. Defense attorney Pierre Cornut-Gentille argued that the absence of written records reflected a lack of proof rather than concealed offenses. Cornut-Gentille told the court that guilt cannot be established without concrete evidence showing direct instigation by Bayrou, pointing to the original acquittal reached two years prior. Defense attorney Mario Stasi argued that the lack of tangible evidence demonstrated the complete absence of any criminal offense, rejecting the claim of an established system. Bayrou addressed the judges in his final remarks before the trial formally concluded.

It is a very emotional moment because this is the last minute of the last hearing of a prosecution that has been extremely difficult to live through.

Case timeline and next steps

The conclusion of hearings completes the examination of parliamentary contracts established between 2005 and 2017 across Strasbourg and Paris. The appeal trial evaluated whether party leadership orchestrated the employment of European parliamentary assistants for domestic party operations over that twelve-year window. The Paris Court of Appeal will now deliberate on the arguments presented during the four-week trial that commenced on 9 September 2026. The judges will issue their final ruling on François Bayrou, his co-defendants, and the political parties on 17 December 2026.