new twist for the guest list

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New legal twist in the “summit dinner” affair targeting Laurent Wauquiez and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

The Council of State rejected the appeal of the community which refused to transmit all the documents on the organization of this event which was the subject of an judicial investigation.

A rejection taken on December 30, according to the decision consulted this Friday, January 3, 2025 by news Lyonconfirming information from Lyon Tribune. The regional council must therefore clearly communicate the documents requested by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF), without the possibility of appeal on this aspect.

Last resort exhausted for Laurent Wauquiez

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region “maintains that the administrative court of Lyon tainted it with an error of law, by not investigating whether the administrative documents requested were likely to be the subject of political use of a nature to prejudice to the ongoing legal proceedings,” recalls the Council of State.

“The appeal of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is not admitted,” ruled the Council of State.

Justice is interested in the organization of a dinner which was held in 2022 at the Château de la Chaize, in the Rhône, for an amount estimated at more than 100,000 euros, or some 1,100 euros per guest.

Laurent Wauquiez's opposition criticizes this “summit dinner” considering its cost too high and affirming that this event mainly serves the political ambitions of the former president of the region who became deputy for Haute-Loire this summer.

A certain number of irregularities, according to the regional court of accounts

The regional Court of Auditors considered that this dinner was tainted by a certain number of irregularities.

The regional council, which has always defended the interest of this dinner to, according to it, connect companies which can invest in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, will have to transmit all the information to the PNF including the official list of guests. Many of the names have already leaked to the press.

The list of guests must be sent to the courts

Around 90 guests were present, including former tennis player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, skier Alexis Pinturault, former chairman of the board of M6 Nicolas de Tavernost, Pierre Fanneau, CEO of Progress or the wealthy Alain Mérieux.

Sébastien Chabal, former rugby player of the French XV was present, as well as Thierry Frémaux, president of the Lumière Institute, Jean-François Pinton, president of the École normale Supérieure, Isabelle Huault, president of the Emlyon Business School, Dominique Giraudier , director of the Paul Institute.

Among the economic guests, we found Laurence Borie-Bancel, president of the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône, Odile Dubreuil, president of the Order of Chartered Accountants Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Jacques Glénat, president of Éditions Glénat or again the president of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry Philippe Guérand.

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