Nathalie Elimas, a former Secretary of State and current regional councilor in Île-de-France, has been sentenced to a 10-month suspended prison term for harassment.

The court also imposed a three-year ban on her eligibility for public office and a fine of €5,000.

The correctional tribunal stated it was 'convinced of the facts of harassment despite the defendant's denials.'

This legal outcome follows a December 2021 administrative investigation by the General Inspection of Higher Education and Research (IGESR), triggered by internal reports of 'dysfunctions' in workplace relations within Elimas's office.

During the trial, three women provided testimony regarding their experiences in Elimas’s cabinet, describing an atmosphere they characterized as 'paranoid.' They recounted receiving conflicting instructions, particularly related to media coverage of Elimas, who reportedly felt jealousy over the visibility of other women in government roles.

In her defense, Nathalie Elimas claimed that the legal proceedings against her were politically motivated.

She referred to what she termed a 'machination' aimed at her downfall, asserting that the allegations were based on subjective feelings rather than objective truths.

Throughout the proceedings, she did not contest her behavior toward former staff members.