It may seem like the climax of a Monty Python parody show, but for 58-year-old Frenchwoman Jeanne Pouchet, the problem is real.
For the past three years, Madame Pouchet has not been able to convince the local authorities that she is alive.
The error in determining Pouchet’s status arose during her legal dispute with her former employer. In 2017, this employer informed the court that Pouchet had died. It is unclear whether this was a “fair” mistake or deliberate deception, but the court took the defendant’s word. Pouchet claims that she did not even know about the hearings that took place in court and, naturally, was not present at them. As a result, Pouchet’s name was struck off the official lists of the country’s citizens. Her ID and driver’s license have been revoked and she cannot even access the bank account that she shared with her husband.
“My lawyer convinced me that my case would be quickly settled, and my doctor gave me a certificate that I was still alive,” says Pouchet. “But since there was a court order, it was not enough.” In January, Pouchet launched a new legal dispute aimed at recognizing her as alive. Her lawyer has filed a petition in court to overturn the 2017 ruling to declare her deceased, but the case is still pending.
Newspaper headline:
More than alive…