France, July 8 -- A French court on Monday dropped an investigation into the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, which had targeted three former officials, including former prime minister and 2027 presidential hopeful Edouard Philippe.

The Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR) closed the case five years after its launch in July 2020, following complaints alleging the government mishandled the response to the virus-citing, among other issues, shortages of protective equipment and inconsistent guidance on mask-wearing.

At the time, then-prime minister Philippe, former health minister Agnes Buzyn, and her successor Olivier Veran were designated as assisted witnesses - a status in the French legal system that lies between that ...