Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Accused of Misusing Public Funds on Tahiti Trip, Defends Actions Amid Criticisms

Hidalgo's trip, costing taxpayers €60,000 and including an extended personal stay, is seen as controversial due to a steep rise in Paris housing taxes and her failure to personally inspect the Tahiti Olympic site.

• Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has faced accusations of misusing public funds for a trip to Tahiti that cost taxpayers €60,000; critics claim that she overspent while approving a steep rise in housing tax in Paris.
• Hidalgo's trip was initially presented as an inspection of the Olympic facilities in Tahiti for the 2024 Paris Olympics, however, no photos were published of this inspection, and she ultimately did not visit the site herself.
• Instead of visiting the site herself, Hidalgo sent Pierre Rabadan, her sports deputy, claiming her absence was upon the request of the Polynesian president due to local tensions linked to the construction of a judges' tower.
• The controversy heightened when it was learned that Hidalgo extended her stay for a two-week personal vacation with her daughter, who lives in Tahiti, though Hidalgo's office stated she paid for her return ticket out of pocket.
• Hidalgo responded to the criticisms by publishing a list of meetings she attended during her trip, and asked Paris city hall's own ethics committee to check whether the trip had breached any rules.

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