French Prosecutors Probe Villepin on Napoleon Statues Received as Minister
Investigation into Dominique de Villepin's Receipt of Napoleon Statues
PARIS, May 20 (Reuters) - Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin is under investigation over valuable statues of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte that he received while serving as foreign minister two decades ago, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) said on Wednesday.
Details of the Prosecutor's Investigation
• "This investigation concerns the conditions under which a statuette and a bust were allegedly given to Dominique de Villepin when he was foreign minister between 2002 and 2004, and subsequently kept by him," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Villepin's Political Position and Public Response
• Villepin has positioned himself as a potential candidate for France's 2027 election, gaining visibility on social media, as the field of mainstream contenders to challenge the far-right candidate becomes more crowded.
Villepin's Acknowledgment and Cooperation
• Villepin acknowledged in an interview with France 2 television that he received the two statues, which are worth tens of thousands of euros. He said he was prepared to hand them over to the foreign ministry.
• His office said Villepin stood ready to cooperate with investigators. "The National Financial Prosecutor will have no difficulty shedding light on this case, and Dominique de Villepin remains calmly at its disposal," it said.
Villepin's Career and Legacy
• Villepin is best known for his tenure as foreign minister, during which he delivered a widely noted speech at the United Nations in 2003 opposing the war in Iraq. He later served as prime minister under President Jacques Chirac until May 2007 and has since worked as a consultant.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Elizabeth Pineau; editing by Michel Rose and Gareth Jones)
