Annick Girardin, former Minister of Overseas France (2017-2020) and Minister of the Sea (2020-2022), who was elected Senator of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon in September 2023, has been declared “ineligible for a period of one year” by the Constitutional Council on September 13, 2024, thereby losing her mandate. The Council was approached on February 26 by the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing, which had rejected Annick Girardin’s campaign account, stating that it did not include bank statements proving the financial operations conducted by her campaign manager, and that the elected senator did not provide evidence that the campaign manager had taken all necessary steps to open such an account. In response, Girardin argued that she had not incurred any expenses or received any income, and that her campaign manager had opened a bank account in March 2024, after the election.
However, the Constitutional Council emphasized that legislative provisions require candidates in senatorial elections to open a campaign account to track all revenue received and, depending on their nature, all expenses incurred or made for the election. Girardin’s ineligibility for any mandate “for a period of one year [is effective] from the present”, and she is declared to have resigned automatically, as stated in the text released by the Council. As a result, a partial election will be organized. In Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, an archipelago of barely six thousand inhabitants off the coast of Canada, only thirty-nine electors were called to vote, and twenty of them had selected Annick Girardin to represent them. The Constitutional Council will also have to rule on the cases of her two opponents, who were also criticized by the National Commission for Campaign Accounts.
Annick Girardin, a former member of parliament, held several ministerial positions between 2014 and 2022 (Secretary of State for Development, Minister of Public Service, Minister of Overseas France, then Minister of the Sea) before joining the Senate following the elections in September last year. The decision by the Council has raised questions in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, where Girardin’s election was of particular significance given the small population of the archipelago. The disqualification of an elected official due to campaign finance irregularities has thrown the local political landscape into uncertainty, with a by-election now needing to be held to fill the vacant seat. Girardin will be barred from running for any elected office for a year, a significant blow to her political career.
The case of Annick Girardin highlights the importance of transparency and compliance with campaign finance laws in electoral processes. The Constitutional Council’s decision underscores the need for candidates to adhere to the legal requirements regarding financial reporting during election campaigns. Girardin’s disqualification serves as a warning to other politicians to ensure that their campaign finances are in order to avoid similar consequences. The ruling also demonstrates the Council’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral system and holding elected officials accountable for any violations of campaign finance regulations.
Overall, the disqualification of Annick Girardin by the Constitutional Council has significant implications for the political landscape of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and raises broader questions about the enforcement of campaign finance laws in elections. The decision to bar Girardin from holding public office for a year has sparked debate and speculation about the future of her political career and the impact on the representation of the archipelago in the Senate. The need for transparency and compliance with campaign finance regulations is paramount in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and upholding public trust in elected officials.
