The Paris state prosecutor has opened a preliminary inquiry into alleged workplace bullying after the attempted suicide of a staff member in a department connected to the French prime minister's office, France Inter radio has revealed.
Multiple incidents reported
The public radio station reported on Monday that two government workers in different departments had ended their lives in the past year, and two others had attempted suicide. The radio station said complaints of alleged workplace bullying had been made.
A complaint had been made by a staff representative to the Paris prosecutor in June over alleged bullying in certain government departments, the station said. The prosecutor has opened a preliminary inquiry. A document seen by France Inter and AFP said a complaint had been made that “presumed institutional bullying” had allegedly led a staff member to attempt to end their life.
Internal inquiries and allegations
Three internal government inquiries have also been opened into specific cases and broader workplace wellbeing.
The allegations of workplace bullying relate to a group of dozens of government departments and missions working under the umbrella of services of the prime minister.
The staff member at the centre of the prosecutor's preliminary inquiry worked in a service that handled issues related to correspondence for the prime minister's office, France Inter reported.
Lawyer's account
The woman's lawyer, Christelle Mazza, told the radio station: “My client had been made [to feel] invisible. She was no longer invited to attend meetings, had been taken off the staff list, treated as if she was no one. She was mocked and jeered at as if it was playground bullying, [she was] ostracised.”
The lawyer said difficulties for staff had been compounded by the instability of governments after Emmanuel Macron dissolved the national assembly and called a snap election in June 2024.
Government response
In the two years from June 2024 to June 2026, there were four prime ministers: Gabriel Attal in a caretaker role, Michel Barnier, François Bayrou and Sébastien Lecornu. No wrongdoing was alleged of the prime ministers.
In a statement, two senior officials in the department of services of the prime minister expressed full respect and support to colleagues and families after the suicides and attempted suicides. They said psychological welfare was “a constant priority” for the prime minister's services and a specialist audit on workplace wellbeing would be conducted.
One case of attempted suicide was investigated and found not to be connected to the government service, they said. Another case of attempted suicide was at the centre of an administrative inquiry after allegations of bullying. For the two deaths by suicide, “investigations are under way in close cooperation with trade union staff representatives”, they said.
The officials added: “None of the people concerned worked directly with the prime minister or in his office.” In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
