Overview

• Alexis Kohler, Secretary-General of the Élysée, has declined to testify before the Senate commission investigating Nestlé's alleged illicit water treatment practices.
• Kohler cited the principle of separation of powers, a rationale he previously used to avoid testifying in a separate National Assembly inquiry on budget issues.
• The Senate commission was formed in November 2024 following media reports of non-compliant water treatment methods used by Nestlé in bottled mineral water production.
• Recent revelations suggest a meeting between Kohler and Nestlé representatives led to government authorization of a controversial treatment transformation plan.
• The commission, which has conducted extensive hearings with ministers, Nestlé executives, NGOs, and journalists, is set to present its final report on May 19, 2025.