Claude Palmero, the former administrator of the Princely Family’s assets, has suffered a second consecutive defeat at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), deepening the legal impasse surrounding his dismissal from the Prince’s Palace in June 2023…
The ECHR on Wednesday ruled inadmissible his latest appeal, which challenged what he described as the “discretionary power of the Prince” in appointing judges to Monaco’s constitutional court—arguing it violated the principle of separation of powers.
Just ten days earlier, the Strasbourg court had already dismissed a separate appeal from Palmero concerning the refusal of Monaco’s Supreme Court to disqualify two of its own members. Only one appeal from Palmero now remains pending at European level, relating to whether the Supreme Court should have ruled on the legality of his dismissal—a move the Court deemed outside its jurisdiction in February.
Palmero’s case has sparked intense legal and political debate. The Supreme Court upheld that the Prince’s decision to revoke Palmero was not judicially reviewable, describing it as an “act of government” stemming from a loss of trust, not a punitive act. As such, no compensation was granted, and Palmero was ordered to cover legal costs.
His legal team, led by Stéphane Bonichot and Pierre-Olivier Sur, has denounced the rulings as evidence of a judiciary overly deferential to Monaco’s monarchy, citing Article 88 of the Constitution, which vests justice in the Prince. They argue that Palmero’s fundamental rights have been denied and promise to continue challenging what they call a “biased” system.
Meanwhile, the Palace’s legal representatives maintain the rulings reflect Monaco’s rule of law, where the courts remain independent and the Prince’s constitutional powers are clearly defined.
For now, the legal scoreboard reads: Monaco 2 – Palmero 0.
Photo by Hassan Anayi
