The head of France’s National Assembly, has rejected calls for an official inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein’s connections to the French political and cultural elite.
Yaël Braun-Pivet—an ally of President Emmanuel Macron—said that such a move would “compete with the justice system,” stressing that the matter should be referred to the courts.
The calls for an inquiry came from the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party, which argued that a parliamentary probe was necessary to examine possible “interference” in or “funding” of political parties following the release of Epstein-related files naming French public figures.
French former minister Jack Lang resigned from his post as head of the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris after his links to Epstein emerged, becoming the highest-profile French figure implicated to date.
French prosecutors have opened a preliminary tax fraud investigation into Lang and his daughter Caroline after they were named in the files. Braun-Pivet called the revelations “terrifying” but also praised Lang’s long-term service as a minister.
President Emmanuel Macron has sought to distance France from the affair, describing it as “a matter that mainly concerns the United States”. Macron noted Lang’s resignation and said it was made “in good conscience.” Lang has denied wrongdoing, claiming he was only connected to Epstein through philanthropic appeals. His daughter Caroline also resigned from leadership positions in the Fondation Le Refuge and the Union of Independent Producers.
The release of the files has since had political consequences extending beyond the United States, triggering political fallout across Europe. In the UK, Lord Peter Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party after allegations of payments from Epstein. In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico’s adviser, Miroslav Lajčák, resigned following email revelations. Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit also faced scrutiny after files suggested extensive contact with Epstein.
