The member of parliament for the Alpes-Maritimes and president of the UDR, Éric CiottiHe was questioned this Friday in Nanterre by investigators from the Central Office for Combating Corruption and Financial and Tax Offenses. This voluntary interview is part of a preliminary investigation opened in the spring of 2025 into suspected the creation and storage of sensitive personal data for political purposes.
The investigation concerns the alleged existence of files listing several hundred people, primarily in the Alpes-Maritimes region, with information going far beyond simple contact details. According to several concurring sources, these documents reportedly contain information relating to the religion, presumed origin, state of health, and financial situation of certain local figures.
Searches carried out last summer
The investigation took a significant step forward last August with searches conducted at the Alpes-Maritimes departmental council, which Mr. Ciotti chaired between 2008 and 2017, as well as at his political office in Nice. Computer equipment was seized by investigators at that time, as part of an operation led by the Nice public prosecutor's office.
At this stage, no charges have been filed. The prosecutor's office declined to comment on the ongoing hearing, and Éric Ciotti's entourage has not reacted publicly. The investigation must now determine the origin, use, and purpose of these files, as well as any potential criminal liability related to their creation.
