Macron deputy consumes cocaine but justice system closes investigation

On Wednesday 25 January, an investigation by French outlet Médiapart revealed that the Renaissance deputy for Hauts-de-Seine, Emmanuel Pellerin, used cocaine even after he had been elected to his position. Interviewed by Médiapart, the MP for the 9th constituency of Hauts-de-Seine admitted to having taken the substance and smoked cannabis before his election, but to have stopped “concomitantly” with his election to the National Assembly in June 2022.

However, when confronted with evidence presented by Médiapart, the deputy admitted to having used drugs after his election, during a party to celebrate his victory in July 2022. He again claimed to have “stopped everything” since then.

Médiapart also revealed that an investigation was opened by the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office on 9 September 2022, notably on the basis of statements made by Emmanuel Pellerin’s 11-year-old son, who explained to his psychologist that his father had shown him the box in which the drugs were kept when he was using them.

This box was later destroyed by his father. It was this psychologist who reported the matter to the courts. The child’s mother, divorced from Emmanuel Pellerin, also testified in the investigation, stating on the record that she had an exchange of SMS messages in which her ex-husband confirmed the facts.

The psychologist was not interviewed. And, more surprisingly, despite the opening of an investigation by the territorial brigade for family protection (BPF) of the Hauts-de-Seine, the deputy in question was not interviewed either.

In the end, the investigation was closed on 26 September, nearly two weeks after it was opened, by the Nanterre prosecutor, who considered that “the elements constituting a criminal offence did not appear to be established”. According to Médiapart, the investigators considered that “provocation to use narcotics” required a “positive act” that the file did not contain.

Macron administration tainted by drugs

Not long ago, another member of Macron’s administration, the Minister for Urban Affairs resigned from her position as MP after her deputy was indicted for drug trafficking.

Moussa Ouarouss was suspected of being the head of an international drug trafficking ring. Thus Nadia Hai, the Minister Delegate for Immigrant Cities, had to resign from the National Assembly. If she had not resigned, Ouarouss would have taken over her seat in the Assembly. Her resignation instead forced a legislative byelection in her constituency, which includes Trappes and Saint-Cyr-L’Ecole.

In 2019, explained French daily Le Parisien, her deputy, Moussa Ouarouss, had been indicted for “importation, transport and possession of drugs in an organised gang and criminal association”. The thirty-year-old is suspected of being at the head of an international drug trafficking ring between Morocco, France and Belgium.

Clearly, Nadia Hai may have wanted to avoid that her deputy, whom justice suspects of directing the international drug trafficking ring, sits in the hemicycle in her place.

The daily recalled that the resigning MP had ended her relationship with her deputy in February 2018. She considered then that he was “not very invested” in his function. On July 7, Moussa Ouarouss said on Twitter that he did not want to sit in the National Assembly, “not being in the constituency for 2 years. He added: “I think that a local candidate will be able to better represent the voice of the inhabitants of the 11th constituency of Yvelines in the National Assembly.”

According to him, the decision was the result of a “common agreement” with Nadia Hai.