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Questions have been raised about Christine Lagarde’s role in getting arbitration in 2008 for a French businessman. |
Court delays Lagarde review
PARIS — A French court has postponed a decision on whether to open an investigation into Christine Lagarde, the country’s finance minister and front-runner to take the helm at the International Monetary Fund, a judicial official said yesterday.
The Court of Justice of the Republic, a special tribunal that handles legal matters involving government ministers, will announce its decision on July 8, the official said. She was speaking on condition of anonymity, in accordance with French judicial policy.
Questions have been raised about Lagarde’s role in getting arbitration in 2008 for French businessman Bernard Tapie, who won $449 million as compensation for the mishandling of the sale of sportswear maker Adidas.
Lagarde has denied any wrongdoing.
She is on a world tour to support her bid to be the next managing director of the IMF.
The other declared candidate for the top post is Mexico’s central bank governor, Agustin Carstens.
Nominations for managing director closed yesterday, and the body’s 24-member executive board is to vote June 30.
In a separate decision, the French court announced it was dropping a complaint against another top official, Interior Minister Claude Gueant.
An antiracism group had filed a complaint against Gueant, accusing him of “inciting racial hatred’’ for recent comments about the rising number of Muslims in France.
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