Certain individual dramas, as we know, act as revelators. This is the case of the murder of Lyhanna, which was allegedly committed by a man known to the courts, but never arrested. The report published Monday June 22 by the Ministry of Justice is damning: it rightly points to individual responsibilities, serial failures and a succession of culpable negligence. This is what pushed, in recent hours, the Minister of Justice to announce a disciplinary investigation against a magistrate in question.
But beyond individual responsibilities, the treatment of this murder has deeply tainted the image of justice in our country, and above all fueled the already deep mistrust between our fellow citizens and the judges. Less than half of French people have confidence in justice. Among other complaints, they find it slow, expensive and difficult to understand. This figure, illustrated by the movement of demonstrations in front of numerous courts throughout France, should alert us.
In recent days, some courts have organized open days (beyond hearings which, with some exceptions, are always public in our country) for series of meetings and discussions. But the matter is also political. A few months before the presidential election, future candidates now have two options: either blow on the embers of distrust, thereby weakening the essential counter-powers; or speak out resolutely for respect for justice. This does not mean that judges should be exempt from all criticism. This means, on the contrary, that we urgently need to restore confidence. An essential condition for preserving our democracy.
