French Finance Committee Approves Potential Legal Action Against Alexis Kohler for Noncompliance

The Secretary General of the Élysée risks penalties after refusing to appear before a parliamentary inquiry into public finance discrepancies.

The French National Assembly's Finance Committee has authorized its president, Éric Coquerel, to pursue legal action if Alexis Kohler, Secretary General of the Élysée, fails to comply with a second summons.
Kohler previously declined to appear before the committee on February 11, citing scheduling conflicts and the principle of separation of powers as reasons for his absence.
The committee is investigating discrepancies in France's fiscal and budgetary forecasts for 2023 and 2024, using its six-month authority as a parliamentary inquiry commission.
Under a 1958 ordinance, individuals summoned by a parliamentary inquiry are legally required to comply, with noncompliance punishable by up to two years in prison and a €7,500 fine.
Kohler has appeared before parliamentary inquiries in the past, including investigations into the Benalla affair in 2019 and highway concessions in 2020.