Ministère public (France)
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In French law, the ministère public or le parquet is the authority charged with defending the interests of society and of the application of law. It is primarily made up of magistrates, but is sometimes represented by other persons such as police officials. Its magistrates can be referred to as "standing" magistrates, as opposed to magistrats du siège (seated magistrates). Its closest equivalent in some English-speaking countries is the (office of the) director of public prosecutions[1] and the attorney general in others.
The term ministère public translates literally as "public ministry" and that institution can exercise a public action (action publique) in penal infractions that cause a disturbance of the ordre public, and can also initiate prosecutions or non-prosecutions. It can intervene in all jurisdictions of the judiciary, but has never really exercised the same role in the administrative areas, except for financial venues (juridictions financières).