This document does not signal “any irregularity,” commented the Region, which says it is “extremely calm” in the face of this action. The CRC report, the first excerpts of which released in July highlighted the expensive meals by the LR president of the Region, also focuses on a contract concluded by the community with the research firm Mediascopie. This was to analyze “in real time” the impact of interviews given by Laurent Wauquiez to various media. For 6,000 euros, Mediascopie studied the reception of comments made on BFMTV in March 2021, according to a version of the report posted online by Lyon Capitale.
“Personal political interest”
However, the study, carried out during the regional election campaign, detailed the political affiliation of the respondents and “made it possible to refine the candidate's remarks according to the reactions of a certain political group”, note the regional auditors. It presented “a personal political interest for the person concerned, but not necessarily a local public interest”, they conclude, playing it “problematic”. After reading this report, elected socialists wrote to the PNF to integrate these new elements into the investigation opened in 2022 after the revelations. at a sumptuous dinner organized at the expense of the Region.
PNF is also interested in possible fictitious jobs as mission manager at the Regional Council. “Once again, Laurent Wauquiez is using public money for personal purposes,” accused Socialist opposition leader Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, for whom the CRC report casts “a pale light on the supposed equality of opportunity for candidates before voters. In 2021, “we did not compete in the regional elections with the same weapons. He had almost unlimited resources from the community,” added the group's vice president, Johann Cesa. A spokesman for the Region denounced an “attempt to exploit justice” and assured that the Court only made “recommendations” to improve the management of the community's communications budget.