France probes worker conditions after two suicides, multiple attempts from gov't employees - report

France has opened judicial and internal investigations into the French Prime Minister’s Service (SPM) after two employees committed suicide and several others attempted suicide over the past few months. The probe follows a complaint filed in June under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which requires officials to report crimes, alleging 'exceptionally serious issues' in working conditions. The complaint was filed by a staff representative after the attempted suicide of an employee identified as Laura (a pseudonym) in April. Laura's lawyer, Christelle Mazza, described how her client was 'made invisible,' mocked, ostracized, and eventually isolated in a basement office. An internal audit confirmed 'severe workplace suffering' but offered only the option to leave the department. France Inter reported other incidents: in October 2025, a DILA employee attempted suicide by cutting her throat; in March 2026, a project manager died by suicide while working from home; and days later, an SGG employee threw himself under a train. Unions secured SPM's commitment to broader investigations into risks in all offices, to be conducted by an external firm. Staff attribute the pattern to political instability, with four governments since the 2024 dissolution, leading to frequent reorganizations and management changes.