In a recent exhibition by journalist Steve Eisenberg for RELIGACTU, the Interministerial Mission for the Fight against Sectarian Abuses (MIVILUDES) in France finds itself plunged into a deep financial scandal that has shaken the nation.
The scandal unfolded in two stages, the first revelation coming from the Court of Auditors, which issued a damning report on the management of the financing of MIVILUDES projects and the distribution of subsidies to anti-sectarian associations. According to the president of the Court of Auditors, Pierre Moscovici, “the analysis of fund management procedures reveals serious deficiencies. These shortcomings became even more apparent during the national calls for projects launched in 2021, the first of which was intended for the “fight against sectarian aberrations”.”
President Moscovici highlighted numerous irregularities in the management of public funds, including the approval of incomplete grant applications, the absence of mandatory supporting documents, the lack of control and monitoring of funds, the absence of reimbursement requests for projects not executed, overpayments to certain associations, etc. Consequently, the Court of Auditors referred the case to the public prosecutor for further investigation, the Litigation Chamber now being responsible for judicial review. Moscovici stressed the seriousness of the situation, saying the House would investigate, potentially prosecute and convict those responsible, calling it a “serious matter.”
The next day, Le Monde shed light on the events leading to the intervention of the Litigation Chamber. In an article entitled “One year after the Marianne Fund scandal, the examination of MIVILUDES “Management”, journalist Samuel Laurent confirmed that a series of complaints had been filed against MIVILUDES and several anti-sectarian associations for misappropriation of public funds , breach of trust, conflict of interest and forgery. These complaints were filed by an association known as CAPLC (Coordination of Associations and Individuals for Freedom of Conscience).
Of particular concern are the substantial subsidies (more than half of the project’s funding of one million euros in 2021) granted to two associations whose presidents also sat on the MIVILUDES steering committee: UNADFI (National Union of Defense Associations families and individuals) led by President Joséphine Cesbron (whose husband is also a UNADFI lawyer, which raises suspicions of a conflict of interest), and the CCMM (Center against mental manipulation) led by the President Francis Auzeville.
Additionally, funded projects that never materialized should have triggered grant repayment. Instead, MIVILUDES renewed the grants the following year, even though it was aware of the irregularities. The Le Monde article cites internal sources confirming repeated warnings about the legal risks that such irregularities pose to the management of the CIPDR and the office of the Secretary of State.
In response to these allegations, the president of MIVILUDES, Donatien Le Vaillant, defended the actions of the organization by affirming that a reform of the grant allocation process had been underway since November 2023. This response, however, comes after alerts dating back to 2021, raising doubts about its effectiveness in calming controversy and avoiding criminal convictions.
The ongoing scandal casts a shadow over MIVILUDES and raises serious questions about the management of public funds and conflicts of interest within the organization. While investigations continue and legal proceedings loom, the future of MIVILUDES remains uncertain in the turmoil.
Le Monde’s reports shed light on a scandal that shook the foundations of MIVILUDES and sparked a national debate on the accountability and transparency of public institutions.
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