https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/uk-truss-triple-promised-growth-but-markets-seem-to-think-di

UK Truss triple promised growth, but markets seem to think different

During her speech at the annual conference of the Conservative party, the British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, stressed that the current status of the economy is not an acceptable option, urging the "need to step up" during these "tough times".

Earlier on Monday, PM Truss made a "humiliating" U-turn on the top-rate tax cut decision included in the previously announced economic package (mini-budget), just one day after she announced being "absolutely committed" to it.

Fitch agency for global ratings warned of "a significant increase in fiscal deficits over the medium term" on Wednesday, as its outlook for the UK debt was lowered from stable to negative.

The mini-budget that was revealed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwareng, which included huge tax cuts funded by a significant increase in borrowing, led to a sharp slide in UK bonds and currency, where the Sterling hit a 41-year low against the dollar and an extremely negative reaction from the financial markets, which the PM is accused of totally ignoring when it came to making major economic decisions.

"I'm determined to get Britain moving, to get us through the tempest and put us on a stronger footing as a nation," Truss said during her speech as she vowed economic, "growth, growth, growth" while attacking the "anti-growth coalition", accusing them of weighing down initiatives that are aimed to revive the British economy.

Susannah Streeter, an analyst at Hargreaves Landsdown, commented on the PM's speech, saying that "she (PM Truss) may have hoped that her triple promise of growth would have calmed markets further but with nothing new to offer the table, her words have not had the desired effect so far," in reference to the market's negative reaction to Truss' announcement, where the British Pound fell by 2.01% against the USD reaching a $1.241 from a previous $1.1336.

The British PM has been in an ongoing fight to hold her job since reaching office nearly one month ago. The former chancellor of the Conservative party, Ken Clarke, labeled the Truss government to have initiated a “catastrophic start” (referring to the mini-budget plan), while a survey conducted by YouGov revealed that 51% of UK citizens believe that PM Truss should resign.

Chancellor Kwarteng commented on the results that "polls do move up and down," as he stated that the 2 years until the elections are an "eternity in politics."

Commenting on the current state of the Prime Minister's popularity, Former UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, told Times Radio, "In the end, I don't think members of parliament, Conservatives, if they see the polls continue as they are, are going to sit on their hands," suggesting that Truss could face a no-confidence vote by the MPs and that "a way would be found to make that change," while allies of former PM Boris Johnson said she lacks a national mandate for her reforms that lack popularity.

Despite all criticism of her actions so far, Truss blamed the whole situation on differences in viewpoints, where she said that currently there isn't time for "more drift and delay" and that things must be done differently, arguing that "whenever there is change, there is disruption. Not everyone will be in favor."

"But everyone will benefit from the result, a growing economy and a better future," she stressed,

Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng and PM Liz Truss preceded the Wednesday speech with a set of interviews focusing on her humiliating U-turn on the mini-budget, as splits in the cabinet surfaced in Birmingham that the two are preparing to cut welfare benefits despite the effects of the economic crisis on the poor. Truss responded by arranging a construction site visit with the beleaguered Kwarteng in a show of unity.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman warned that some critics of the party are aiming to arrange a "coup" against the PM. Dissident ringleader Michael Gove was considered to be one of the targets of Braverman's statement, however, he defended his position stating that "we've got to keep faith with what Boris wanted," as he underlined that all MPs of the Conservative party were elected on the manifesto of former PM Boris in 2019 and told reporters that he believes that Truss would stay in position beyond the end of the year.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/eyeing-its-own-interests-the-us-considers-easing-venezuela-s

Eyeing its own interests, the US considers easing Venezuela sanctions

The Biden administration is preparing to ease sanctions on Venezuela's government to allow Chevron Corp. CVX 0.57% to resume pumping oil there, according to people familiar with the proposal, paving the way for a potential reopening of US and European markets to Venezuelan oil exports.

The sources added that in exchange for the massive sanctions relief, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government would resume long-stalled discussions with the country's opposition to discuss the conditions for the 2024 presidential elections.

The US and Venezuela's government have worked out a deal that would free up hundreds of millions of dollars in Venezuelan state funds that had been frozen in American banks to pay for food, medicine, and equipment for the country's battered electricity grid and municipal water systems.

Details are still being worked out, according to US officials, who emphasized that the arrangement might fall through if discussions will the opposition are not held.

The deal, if it goes through, will pave the way for Chevron and US petroleum services companies to resume Venezuelan oil exports to the global market amid soaring energy prices across the world.

Venezuela was a major oil producer in the 1990s, pumping more than 3.2 million barrels per day, but the output was reduced due to draconian sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, which also drove Western corporations out of the nation.

Any change in US policy that brings back Western oil corporations will convey a psychological signal to the market that greater supply is on the way, according to the sources. The US set its eyes on Venezuela after OPEC+ countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed to cut output in response to falling oil prices, infuriating the Biden administration.

However, engaging Venezuela, which has some of the world's largest oil reserves, could serve as a longer-term strategy for the United States and European countries seeking new energy sources as the war in Ukraine drags on and upends commodity markets, according to Francisco Monaldi, a Latin America energy expert at Rice University.

“If [oil] prices come down, this all could change,” Monaldi said. “But for now, this is their obsession.”

Last month, Vice President for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols testified before Congress on September 15 that if Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro refuses to enter into formal negotiations with the nation's US-backed opposition, the United States is prepared to reimpose sanctions and take other comprehensive steps, reflecting the rather true US intent for the region as it tries to impose its own interests and dictations across the world.

"We stand ready to snap back sanctions and ready to take comprehensive measures," Nichols told the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in response to questions over what the lawmakers said was the Biden administration's slow and feckless diplomatic efforts in Venezuela.

In addition to law enforcement action, working with partners and allies to prevent the Venezuelan President from accessing frozen assets and supporting fact-finding missions by international organizations like the International Criminal Court are some of the planned or implemented measures regarding Venezuela, according to Nichols.

>>17637922

WTF is wrong with these people?

This is not insane, this is pure evil.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/art-culture/roger-waters:-american-empire-is-the-most-evil-of-all

Roger Waters: 'American empire is the most evil of all'

Following the interview with CNN in August in which Pink Floyd's co-founder Roger Waters criticized the US over its role in the Ukraine war, calling US President Joe Biden a war criminal and underlining that Taiwan is part of China, his most recent comments come in an interview with The Rolling Stones this month stating his belief that America is the greatest evil in the world.

In Tuesday's interview, Waters expressed that the "compliant media" enforces the us-versus-them formula, by being fed to the American people embodying the idea that China and Russia are 'bad' and the US is 'good'.

From his standpoint, he says: “Of course, we — when I say we, I’m now speaking as a taxpayer in the United States — are not. We are the most evil of all by a factor of at least ten times. We kill more people. We interfere in more people’s elections. We, the American empire, is doing all this sh*t".

The singer and prominent political activist stressed on the matter of Western-induced ideologies for the coverage that concerns the war in Ukraine: “You’ve seen it on what I’ve just described to you as western propaganda. It’s exactly the obverse of saying Russian propaganda; Russians interfered with our election; Russians did that. It’s all lies, lies, lies, lies."

Furthermore, he announced himself as being placed on Ukraine's "kill list" which includes figures and individuals who do not support its forces and Western intervention in the war that helps fuel it more. He added that Darya Dugina, slain journalist and daughter of Russian political thinker Alexander Dugin, was part of that list that led to her murder in August in a car bomb at the hands of Ukrainian special services.

Waters has even gone the extra mile and sent an open letter to the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Olena, requesting that she help “stop the slaughter” by pushing for negotiations to reach a peace deal with Russia.

Among the major topics brought up in his interview on Tuesday, such as Syria and Julian Assange, he emphasized the importance of the Palestinian cause and condemned the IOF by saying: "It’s not just the appalling death of Shireen Abu Akleh. They're all appalling deaths… Every Palestinian shot to death by the [Israeli occupation forces] is appalling. She just happened to be very well known and very well loved, and she was a journalist and wearing a press and whatever. But nothing will happen to the murderer, as we know. It'll be swept under the carpet anyways."

Waters gave a brief on the history of the Middle East in light of him being called anti-Semitic by supporting Palestine, namely the UK and France's involvement through the Sykes-Picot agreement of 1916 that proved Western sabotage has and still roams in the ruins of the Middle East at the hands of the US.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/art-culture/truss-rejects-repatriating-parthenon-marbles-to-greece

Truss rejects repatriating Parthenon marbles to Greece

UK's Prime Minister Liz Truss stated this week in an interview for the British TV and radio channel GB News that she “does not support” the restitution of the Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum back to their origin in Greece.

Her answer came as she was asked about the agreement with Greece proposed by the chairman of the British Museum, George Osborne, who in June suggested that the long-disputed ownership of the marbles could end with a deal "where we can tell both stories in Athens and in London if we both approach this without a load of preconditions, without a load of red lines.”

The Parthenon Marbles, a collection of 5th-century BCE architectural masterpieces, are at the center of one of the highest-profile restitution cases in history, which were removed from the Parthenon temple. It was located on the Acropolis in Athens in the early 19th century until it was taken by British diplomat Lord Elgin when the country was under Ottoman rule.

The restitution decision was taken last November during former PM Boris Johnson's term but was handed over to Truss after her succession. With the possibility of halting that decision, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis may talk Truss into reconsidering during an intergovernmental meeting set for later this year.

“At a time when Truss will be looking to build her credibility and when the UK is sort of cornered in terms of its overall image after the [Queen Elizabeth II’s] funeral it will be a fantastic gesture, and that’s what I’ll tell her,” Mitsotakis told the Sunday Times. This comes after his UNGA speech in September, in which he said, "No matter how long it will take, the Parthenon marbles will eventually be coming home".

Truss has faced major criticism just a month into her term as PM, from failed promises to failing policies. Her term has witnessed the British pound plummeting to its lowest rate against the US dollar since 1971, a great recession almost taking over the UK, and her own party, known as the Tories, decrying her actions as an unfit PM. Most recently, among her worst decisions are the possibility of revoking 570 laws that protect the environment in the UK, refusing to levy a windfall tax on oil corporations while her country faces the brunt of global warming, and publicly expressing on Tuesday her pro-Israeli stance, for which she proclaimed herself to be a proud "Zionist".

A campaign of returning looted artifacts has hit museums across Europe and the UK as the British Museum has recently faced controversy for holding the Benin Bronzes (looted from Benin City, in modern-day Nigeria) to the Rosetta Stone (originally from Egypt) and Hoa Hakananai’a (a stone sculpture taken from Easter Island). The Horniman Museum in London announced back in August its intentions to return 72 treasured artifacts, including its collection of Benin bronzes, to Nigeria in what experts described as an “immensely significant” moment.

In a statement this past summer, and possibly in response to public outcry and protests in June, the British Museum relayed that it "is always willing to consider requests to borrow any objects from the collection, we lend between 4,000 to 5,000 objects every year. For instance, 170 ancient Hellenic objects are touring Australia and New Zealand where they will reach and inspire new audiences before returning to the museum.”

>>17638336

I am going to enjoy hearing their screams. There is no place for them to hide.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israel-rejects-lebanese-revisions-to-border-demarcation-prop

'Israel' rejects Lebanese revisions to border demarcation proposal

An Israeli official said Thursday that the Israeli occupation rejected revisions requested by Lebanon to the US-mediated border demarcation proposal.

The official, announcing Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s decision to reject the revision requests, warned that any further negotiations would cease should Hezbollah threaten the Karish gas rig.

"Lapid was briefed on the substantive changes Lebanon was seeking to make to the agreement and instructed his negotiating team to reject them," the official said, adding that the Israeli occupation's PM said "Israel" "would not compromise on its economic and security interests, even if it meant no deal would be reached anytime soon."

According to the Israeli official, "Israel will begin production of natural gas from its Karish field as soon as that is possible," warning that "if Hezbollah or anyone else attempts to cause harm to the rig or threaten Israel, the negotiations on an agreed maritime border will immediately stop and [Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed] Hassan Nasrallah will have to explain to the citizens of Lebanon why they will not have a natural gas rig in production or an economic future."

"Israel" prepared to defend infrastructure: Gantz

Earlier, Israeli occupation Security Minister Benny Gantz said "Israel" is prepared to defend its infrastructure whether a deal with Lebanon is signed or not.

Gantz warned that the military cost to Lebanon and Hezbollah "will be very grave" in case the Lebanese Resistance party attacked the Israeli occupation, claiming that "we are not eager for war but are prepared for one."

But Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Israeli Energy Minister Karin Elharar as saying that "I am versed in the details of the draft agreement and can say it is good for Israel."

"We did not concede one centimeter of the demands of our security officials, nor will we. If the Lebanese are not interested in a deal, there will not be one," she claimed.

Elharar also slammed former Israeli PM and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu for warning that he would not be bound by an agreement with Lebanon should he return to power.

"He is working in the interests of Hezbollah and their clip announcing they had won," Elharar claimed, adding that "this is something I would expect from our enemies and not an Israeli elected official. It is harmful to our security."

Demarcation agreement strengthens Hezbollah's position, proves its ability to achieve its goals

In the same context, Israeli media considered Thursday that the Lebanese maritime border agreement strengthens Hezbollah's position inside Lebanon, stressing that Hezbollah has once again proven that it can achieve its political and strategic goals in Lebanon and the region thanks to its military strength that cannot be dissuaded or weakened.

An Israeli expert on Arab affairs, Yoni Ben-Menachem, said on Twitter that the Biden administration is pressuring "Israel" to approve the draft maritime border agreement with Lebanon, despite the revisions that Lebanon made to the proposal.

Ben-Menachem noted that Hezbollah is credited with achieving the agreement and presenting it as a victory.

He considered that two elements subjugated Lapid and Gantz to sign the maritime agreement with Lebanon. The first was Biden, who wants to secure gas for Europe amid the war in Ukraine, while the second is Hezbollah.

The Israeli expert noted that in Lebanon, they reject claims that the agreement on the maritime borders is the beginning of a normalization process with the Israeli occupation.

Israeli media: Maritime deal united Lebanese, divided Israelis

Israeli media also reported on Monday that "Lebanon is united over the maritime agreement, and "Israel" is divided."

In the details, the Israeli channel KAN said that "a country suffering from conflict and is politically divided, such as Lebanon, appears more united than Israel with regard to everything related to the issue of the dispute on the maritime borders."

A couple of days ago, a Lebanese source concerned with the demarcation negotiations confirmed to Al Mayadeen that "Lebanon obtained, in the written proposal it received from the Americans, all its demands," adding that "Lebanon has not and will not give Israel any security zone that it previously demanded."

In turn, Israeli media said that the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, "succeeded in the battle of awareness in the negotiations to demarcate the maritime borders."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/f-35a-fighters-unreliable-unready-234-times-over-18-month-pe

F-35A fighters unreliable, 'unready 234 times over 18-month period'

4 Oct 19:32

The US stealth fighter jets and one of the Pentagon's latest grand investments, the F-35As, were rated as "operationally unready" 234 times over a year and a half since January 2021 in South Korea due to malfunctions, a South Korean lawmaker said on Tuesday.

People Power Party representative Shin Won-sik said that over the 18-month period, the fighters were grounded on 172 instances. The remaining 62 cases were due to the jets being able to take off but without being able to carry out certain missions.

The South Korean military should make strenuous efforts to both introduce such high-end weapons systems and maintain them, Shin added upon disclosing the data.

The multi-billion project's future is looking quite grim, with grounded fifth-generation fighters only being able to carry out missions for 12 days on average in 2021 and 11 days in the first half of 2022.

Over the same 18-month period, the older F-4E and the F-5 were only grounded 26 and 28 times, respectively.

The Air Force underlined that it had no problem with maintaining the readiness of the F-35As, with the aircraft meeting their target operational rate of 75%.

Seoul acknowledged that it had issues acquiring parts for defects identified in the F-35As, noting that it would be working on receiving them from the manufacturer within the shortest possible time frame.

South Korea finished deploying 40 F-35As in January under the country's first project aimed at acquiring Lockheed Martin's newest steal fighter.

Despite their low operational rates, stealth fighters have been gaining impetus since their introduction. The Swiss parliamentary committee on security policy in early September gave the green light to the purchase of 36 US-made F-35A fighter jets for the national army despite resistance from the country's opposition.

In late August, the Swiss government announced the impossibility of holding a referendum on the issue before the expiry of the US sales offers on March 31, 2023. The administration asserted that delaying the replacement of the fleet's 55 ailing planes would have detrimental effects on the country's security.

Germany, too, revealed in March that it would acquire 35 Lockheed Martin F-35s from the United States to upgrade its aging Tornado fleet, marking the first defense deal for the country since Chancellor Olaf Scholz's promise to spend some 100 billion euros on upgrading Germany's defensive capabilities in response to the war in Ukraine.

The United States Air Force in late July even went as far as grounding its F-35A jet fleet, citing a potentially faulty component in the ejection seat that could endanger pilots in an emergency, a concern that has also grounded other types of military planes used for training.

>>17638443

Start with the soundtrack of the Last of the Mohicans.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lebanon-responds-to-israel-rebuff-of-maritime-demands

Lebanon responds to 'Israel' rebuff of maritime demands

Lebanese President Michel Aoun responded on Thursday to the Israeli occupation's rejection of Beirut's proposed changes to the Lebanese-Israeli maritime borders. He underlined that Lebanon had proposed the changes to the US-mediated deal with its rights to extract oil in its exclusive economic zone in mind.

"The remarks prevent any explanations that do not fall into the framework detailed by Lebanon for the demarcation process and during the negotiations," President Aoun said.

An Israeli official said Thursday that the Israeli occupation rejected revisions requested by Lebanon to the US-mediated border demarcation proposal.

The official, announcing Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s decision to reject the revision requests, warned that any further negotiations would cease should Hezbollah threaten the Karish gas rig.

According to the Israeli official, "Israel will begin production of natural gas from its Karish field as soon as that is possible," and he warned the Lebanese resistance against taking any retaliatory action against the occupation.

Maritime deal 'make or break'

The US-brokered talks between Beirut and "Tel Aviv" were at a "make or break" point after the latter rejected the negotiations, top Lebanese negotiator Elias Bou Saab told Reuters.

Earlier, Israeli occupation Security Minister Benny Gantz said "Israel" is prepared to defend its infrastructure whether a deal with Lebanon is signed or not.

Gantz warned that the military cost to Lebanon and Hezbollah "will be very grave" in case the Lebanese Resistance party attacked the Israeli occupation, claiming that "we are not eager for war but are prepared for one."

The deal "is 90% done, but the remaining 10% could make it or break it," Bou Saab added, dealing that he had been in constant contact with US mediator Amos Hochstein.

This comes after Lebanon received the written proposal from the US mediator Amos Hochstein through US Ambassador Dorothy Shea regarding the demarcation of maritime borders.

The United States made an offer to the Israeli occupation and Lebanon to resolve the maritime border issue, Israeli media claimed in late September. The proposal is reportedly linked to the path the Lebanese-Israeli maritime borders will follow.

The settlement proposal, Haaretz said, asked to change and adjust line 23 toward Lebanon instead of near the coast in order to allow for a "bigger defensive area against possible threats from the sea, near the coastline."

The settlement proposal, according to Israeli news outlet Haaretz, asked to change and adjust line 23 toward Lebanon instead of near the coast in order to allow for a "bigger defensive area against possible threats from the sea, near the coastline."

In turn, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, stressed in a speech that "the importance of what is happening today is there being a written text from the mediating party that the President, Parliament Speaker, and the Prime Minister have received."

It is noteworthy that the Lebanese Resistance, Hezbollah, has been a very effective factor in bringing the Israelis to the indirect negotiations table after it announced from day one that it has the Lebanese government's back in its righteous and sovereign claims.

Extraction of gas from Karish without guarantees to Lebanon that it will be able to explore and extract its maritime resources has been declared a red-line by Hezbollah since the negotiations kicked off, with the Israeli military receiving the threats loud and clear and increasing preparation to anticipate operations against the gas platform by the Resistance.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-cannot-be-dissuaded-or-weakened:-israeli-media

Hezbollah cannot be dissuaded or weakened: Israeli media

Israeli media said on Thursday that the Lebanese maritime border agreement strengthens Hezbollah's position inside Lebanon, stressing that Hezbollah has once again proven that it can achieve its political and strategic goals in Lebanon and the region thanks to its military strength, only to draw a conclusion that Hezbollah cannot be dissuaded or weakened.

"The Biden administration is putting pressure on Israel to ratify the draft maritime border agreement with Lebanon, despite the amendments that Lebanon has requested to be made to the agreement," said Yoni Ben-Menachem, an Israeli expert on Arab affairs, in a series of tweets via Twitter.

Ben-Menachem added that "Lebanon warns of a security escalation if Israel does not ratify the agreement," noting that "Hezbollah takes credit for the completion of the agreement and presents it as a victory."

He also stressed that "two elements forced Yair Lapid (Israeli PM) and Benny Gantz (Israeli security minister) to sign the maritime agreement with Lebanon," explaining that the first element is "President Biden who wants to secure gas for Europe because of the war in Ukraine and the confrontation with Putin," while the second element is "Hezbollah, which wants to improve its position in Lebanon as a defender of the county's rights and natural gas resources," pointing out that, "in Lebanon, they categorically reject the claim that the agreement on maritime borders is the beginning of a normalization process with Israel."

On Monday, Israeli media reported that "Lebanon is united over the maritime agreement, and "Israel" is divided." In the details, the Israeli channel KAN said that "a country suffering from conflict and is politically divided, such as Lebanon, appears more united than Israel with regard to everything related to the issue of the dispute on the maritime borders."

Earlier, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters that Lapid is shamefully surrendering to the threats of the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. According to Netanyahu, should the agreement with Lebanon be signed, Hezbollah would be "receiving Israel’s sovereign territory and a gas field worth billions of dollars" without any parliamentary debate and referendum.

A few days ago, Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese parliament Elias Bou Saab told Al Mayadeen that "Lebanon has not renounced any part of its rights and will not pay compensation to the Israeli enemy," commenting on the maritime border demarcation issue with occupied Palestine.

He added that, "Lebanon gained more than the other side ("Israel"), by their confession, regarding the draft agreement on the demarcation of the maritime borders," noting that, "Lebanon held an advanced position in the negotiations due to its unified position (political unity), the strength factor known to everyone, and the diplomacy that was backed by these two factors."

The Lebanese official confirmed that Lebanon will propose amendments to the draft received from the American mediator, noting that "the devil lies in the details."

A Lebanese source involved in the negotiations between Lebanon and the occupation entity earlier confirmed to Al Mayadeen that "Lebanon received in the written proposal from the Americans all its demands," indicating that "Lebanon has not and will not give 'Israel' any security zone that they demanded earlier".

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/macrons-chief-of-staff-charged-with-conflict-of-interest-aga

Macron's Chief of staff charged with conflict of interest, again

4 Oct 19:47

Élysée's secretary general, Alexis Kohler, was charged with a conflict of interest relating to his ties with Mediterranean shipping company MSC, which is run by his mother's cousins as stated by French prosecutor Jean-François Bohnert.

Kohler is one of the top officials of French President Macron's administration and is responsible for catering to critical emergencies as well as major economic and social issues. He has, “categorically denied any wrongdoing”, as stated by his lawyer.

This is not the first time Macron's top advisor is in the spotlight for his relations with MSC. In 2018, Kohler was accused of influencing contract results, that were awarded to MSC back in 2010 and 2011, by Anticor, an anti-corruption Nonprofit organization, claiming that Kohler did not disclose his ties with MSC to his place of work back then, the French agency for public investment. However, the 2018 case was dismissed a year later, and Anticor filed a new civil case against him in 2020.

Anticor lawyer Eric Dezeuze commented on the recent charges, stating that, "the question of his resignation is now on the table," while Kohler's lawyer argued that the new evidence would allow his client to, "prove his innocence."

The case against Macron's top official comes as his administration is receiving more pressure. The sitting Minister of Justice Dupond-Moretti, one of the French President's close allies, was charged on Monday for abusing his position to get back at "opponents" from his earlier career in the judiciary and was ordered to stand trial by the Investigation Commission of the law court in Paris, making it the first time an MoJ is charged while serving his term.

The Minister's lawyers filed an appeal on the case that was initiated in 2021 by Anticore and a union of magistrates, putting the trial on hold temporarily, where it is unclear when would the highest appeal court rule on the case. One of the Minister's lawyers argued however that this case had witnessed, "many irregularities," blaming Chief Prosecutor François Molins for previously being "unfair and biased."

Charges against the Justice Minister are related to administrative orders relayed to 3 judges to request the police crackdown on dozens of lawyers and magistrates in 2014 during an investigation targeting Former Frech President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The Transparency International nonprofit organization has called on the Minister to resign, as 2 of France's main magistrates' unions expressed that the case would place Dupond-Moretti further into a conflict of interest, where "He would get to appoint his own accuser,” following Molins' retirement next July as the Minister would be assigning his successor.

The French Presidential office declined to comment on Dupond-Moretti's job status as Minister of Justice, while the PM spokesperson just stated that the "procedure is ongoing" and that it was organized so as not to affect Dupond-Moretti’s business as justice minister.