Monaco Supreme Court Unable to Rule on Princely Family Asset Manager Dismissal

In a significant legal ruling on February 7, Monaco’s Supreme Court declared itself incompetent to adjudicate the dispute over the dismissal of Claude Palmero, the former administrator of the Princely Family’s assets. Palmero had sought judicial review of his June 2023 expulsion from the Prince's Palace, contending his removal was unjust. The court, however, led by President Stéphane Braconnier, determined it lacked jurisdiction in the matter, highlighting that the role of the Administrator of the Crown Property hinges on absolute trust, and the Prince had acted within his rights driven by a loss of this trust.

The court’s verdict reaffirms the entrenched legal principle in Monaco that actions of the Sovereign Prince are beyond judicial scrutiny. This stance was further supported by the Prince’s lawyer, Me Cyril Bonan, who described the dismissal as an "act of government,” not subject to appeal. The court also dismissed Palmero’s claim for compensation, which exceeded 1 million euros, and imposed legal costs on him. Palmero’s attorney, Pierre-Olivier Sur, criticized the decision as perpetuating an "obsolete" protection of monarchal actions, and announced plans to escalate the issue to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), arguing it as a critical case against the alleged violation of fundamental rights by Monaco in shielding its monarch.

This decision, while upholding the legal doctrines protecting the Sovereign, has stirred significant controversy and debate about the balance between monarchical privileges and judicial independence in Monaco. Palmero’s legal team views the forthcoming appeal to the ECHR as a pivotal moment to challenge what they perceive as an infringement on fundamental rights, setting the stage for a legal confrontation that may have far-reaching implications for the principality’s judicial landscape.