The Secretary General of the Élysée, Alexis Kohler, refused to respond to the summons of the Finance Committee of the National Assembly, responsible for investigating the slippage of public finances. Faced with this refusal, the committee voted this Wednesday, February 19, in favor of potential criminal proceedings, if Kohler maintains his position.
By 40 votes to 21, the deputies validated the proposal of its president, Éric Coquerel, to send a final summons to Kohler, reminding him of the sanctions incurred. "If he does not respond by the beginning of March or if he refuses again, I will contact the prosecutor," warned Coquerel.
Kohler invoked "scheduling issues" and then "the principle of separation of powers", arguing that responding to the commission would risk compromising the independence of the executive. However, several Élysée collaborators have already been questioned in the past. "If the president cannot be summoned, his collaborators have already been," retorted Coquerel, who denounced an unjustified blockage.
The commission, which has been investigating budgetary gaps for 2024 and 2023 since December 2024, is seeking to identify political responsibilities in the drift of deficits. The standoff between the Élysée and the Assembly is now underway, and a legal action could set a precedent for parliamentary control over the executive.
