The Clearstream affair, France’s latest political scandal, has already damaged the credibility of the government, embarrassed a top intelligence official and besmirched the reputation of a senior executive at EADS, the aerospace group.

Now it risks claiming a new victim. The French justice system stands accused of inflaming the scandal into a damaging affaire d’etat, poisoning the atmosphere in the upper reaches of politics and creating a climate of rumours and half-truths.