Is Gregory Doucet campaigning "at taxpayer expense"?

After the affair of the too many project managers, twenty-four, which cost him ten hours of police custody in April for “misappropriation of public funds”, this time it is the communication campaign of his record at the head of the town hall which is stuck in the eyes of several opposition elected officials. The LR mayor of the 2nd arrondissement, Pierre Oliver, does not mince his words: “It is anything but institutional communication.” A declared candidate in the next municipal elections, he estimates the cost of this campaign at an amount between 400,000 and 700,000 euros, “at the taxpayer’s expense” .

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A figure that Grégory Doucet disputes, instead putting forward a budget of 228,000 euros. He justifies this expenditure by stating: “It is essential to be accountable so that there is trust with elected officials.” Fundamentally, the mayor's approach is in line with the Electoral Code: one year before the municipal elections, highlighting his work via social media and organizing public meetings in the nine arrondissements remains entirely legal. The law only prohibits this type of communication six months before the election.

The fact remains that, on the opposition side, the pill is not swallowing. Thomas Rudigoz, leader of the Macronists in Lyon, castigates: "This operation comes just a few weeks before the start of the legal period (...), dangerously blurring the line between public communication and electoral propaganda ." Between legality and ethics, the ballot box will decide.

Read also: Doucet's mandate in Lyon: an "election campaign" costing several thousand euros, denounces Rudigoz

The City of Lyon has requested a right of reply. We are publishing this right of reply, as always. Lyon Capitale maintains the article's full statement.

Contrary to the figures falsely put forward by certain opposition elected officials – citing an estimated cost of between 400,000 and 700,000 euros – the actual budget for this operation amounts to 228,000 euros.

This amount includes:

• the production and distribution of content: information and communication tools design and printing of the municipal magazine supplement video media device deployed in public spaces (150,000 euros
• the process of constructing and analyzing a questionnaire intended to provide input for mandate review meetings; the preparation of meetings with the people of Lyon (42,000 euros)
• logistical and reception services related to the organization of public meetings (36,000 euros).

It is therefore inaccurate and misleading to oppose these data with estimates disconnected from any accounting reality. As such, it is regrettable that such untruths are relayed, thus maintaining confusion between institutional facts and statements relating to a political position. If this confusion becomes the norm, it weakens citizens' trust in their institutions.

The City of Lyon will provide details and invoices relating to these various expenses.

The mandate review exercise is part of a legal framework that is strictly in accordance with the Electoral Code, which authorizes the highlighting of a community's record up to six months before municipal elections. It is part of the legitimate exercise of democratic transparency within the framework of the accountability process for municipal action - one of the commitments of the mandate plan - essential for informing citizens about public action.

Finally, this approach is shared by many communities regardless of their political leanings. Anne Hidalgo in Paris, Christian Estrosi in Nice, Martine Aubry in Lille, Alexandre Vincendet in Rillieux-la-Pape, and many others have also organized public meetings or distributed information materials at the end of their mandates. This is a healthy and normal practice of local democracy. The City of Lyon calls for a public debate based on objective facts and on respect for the republican principles essential to trust in public discourse.