Elysée Official Alexis Kohler to Testify in French Budget Mismanagement Inquiry

The Secretary General of the Elysée will face questions from lawmakers investigating significant discrepancies in France's 2023–2024 fiscal forecasts.

Alexis Kohler, Secretary General of the Elysée, has been summoned to testify before the French National Assembly's Finance Commission as part of an ongoing inquiry into budgetary mismanagement.
A closed-door vote by the commission resulted in 37 deputies supporting the summons and 18 opposing it, with dissent primarily from Macron-aligned and LR party members.
The inquiry, led by Finance Commission President Éric Coquerel (LFI), is examining major discrepancies in France's fiscal forecasts, including a 2024 deficit now projected at 6.1% of GDP, far exceeding earlier estimates of 4.4%.
Past testimonies have highlighted factors such as flawed revenue models, unexpected local government spending, and overestimated outcomes of economic policies implemented since 2017.
The investigation follows public criticism of former finance officials, including ex-Minister Bruno Le Maire and former Public Accounts Minister Thomas Cazenave, for their roles in the fiscal miscalculations.