French prosecutor to investigate government fund accused of slander

PARIS (Reuters) - France's national financial prosecutor (PNF) is investigating a government-funded organisation that has been accused of using public money to slander politicians, it said in a statement on Thursday.

Opposition politicians have accused Fond Marianne, a government fund set up to combat what the French government calls Islamic "separatism", of creating videos slandering politicians.

The PNF said that following complaints about the fund, it had opened an investigation into misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest.

Fonds Marianne was set up during President Emmanuel Macron's first term to combat Islamic radicalism following the 2020 beheading of teacher Samuel Paty.

Former Citizenship Minister Marlene Schiappa - who is Social Economy Minister in Macron's current government - said last week that the 2 million euro ($2.20 million) fund had financed some 20 organisations that promote interfaith tolerance and republican values.

Schiappa was not available for comment on Thursday, but she has denied any wrongdoing in several media interviews.

On Public Senat television Schiappa said last week that some of the organisations the fund financed had indeed produced videos slandering opposition politicians but also government ministers and herself.

"Never have I given instructions to finance such videos," Schiappa said, adding that her cabinet had asked the judiciary to investigate the case.

($1 = 0.9082 euros)

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Josie Kao)