At the opening of the hearing, it was Julie Taton’s lawyers who spoke. It was then up to the city of Mons to present its arguments. The city’s lawyer recalled that more than 15,000 applications for domiciliation are submitted to the city of Mons each year. “The files are processed fairly. Furthermore, Mrs Taton did not specify her availability even though a box this summer allowed her to do so when submitting her domiciliation request. She knew that the investigation would begin within 15 days in order to verify the reality of the domiciliation. She knew that she would be on leave several times but nowhere did she mention her unavailability.”
The lawyer insists that we are talking about a period “within 15 days” and that this is therefore not a fixed deadline, and also recalls that four visits, and not three as legally provided for, were organised at the supposed home of the MP, between 21 and 29 July.Are the police services hanging on the social networks of citizens who request domiciliation? Of course not. The Te Deum of July 21 is above all a public holiday, which represents more opportunities to find citizens at home.”
For the city, it appears that “The city’s decision is based on objective elements, which are not partial and which in no way demonstrate that the city was, at one time or another, biased.“And to add: “The burden of proof that the city treated Mrs Taton like all other applicants does not lie with the city of Mons: it is up to Mrs Taton to prove the opposite. Despite this, we are able to prove that the services behaved, during the checks, in an upright and honest manner, as for all citizens who make a request for domiciliation.”
According to the city, the fact that Georges-Louis Bouchez’s partner had recovered his belongings two days before the request for domiciliation does not tend to confirm the possibility of a new main residence.
The Attorney General speaks
The attorney general, for his part, recalled that “The court, a judicial institution, will have to respond in a legal manner to a very politically colored legal case, which complicates things.” The latter recalled that to be a candidate in the elections, one must be registered in the electoral register before July 31 and that to be registered in the electoral register, one must be domiciled.” Two cases could set a precedent, according to the attorney general, who believes that the applicant must facilitate the establishment of his domicile during the police investigation.
The court will have to make its decision based on the evidence presented by both parties. The attorney general pointed out, however, that by making a request for domiciliation on 14 July, this reduced the possibilities of having the domiciliation established, that four police visits had been attempted and that an investigation had been opened five working days after the request for domiciliation.does not seem scandalous.” He also highlighted the fact that some belongings (“shirts on hangers and bags”) were collected by Georges-Louis Bouchez’s partner in the absence of Julie Taton, who was on holiday at the time, although she had apparently established her main residence in the apartment.
“Whatever the court’s decision, we hope that it will help restore some serenity because the media hype and the multiplication of appeals – which are a right – also have human effects. I think we must remember the stakes of the elections on October 13. We are giving a lot of importance to an isolated case, perhaps unfortunate, but which has the consequence of discrediting the whole of political action.”
The main person concerned spoke before the hearing was suspended, confiding that she would never have imagined that her case would take on such proportions. As she left the hearing, she confirmed her desire to be a candidate or, if that is not possible, to settle in the City of Doudou anyway.My heart is now in Mons”she said. The court’s decision is expected around noon.
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