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Gerard Collomb, September 12, 2018 at the National Assembly, while he was still Minister of the Interior. REUTERS / Gonzalo Fuentes

The mayor of Lyon and the home of Gerard Collomb were raided this Wednesday, June 5 as part of a preliminary investigation on suspicion of embezzlement of public funds to the benefit of a former companion of the mayor, employed by the municipality under different functions since 1995.

The opening of this investigation could be a blow to the ambitions of Baron Lyonnais, re-elected mayor without interruption since 2001, which is preparing to seek new mandates next year at the city hall and the metropolis. Announced in the morning by the daily Le Parisien , the searches were confirmed to AFP by the national financial prosecutor.

According to the weekly Le Canard Enchaîné, which revealed the existence of this survey, it was following a provisional report by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Chamber of Accounts (CRC) devoted to the management of the city ​​of Lyon, sent to the National Financial Office, that this preliminary inquiry was opened.

In a reaction sent to AFP before Wednesday's searches, the former interior minister was surprised " that we could disseminate information both unacceptable and intolerable ", while the findings of an investigation administrative - carried out by him - are not yet known.

The jobs of his ex-partner in question

According to CRC magistrates quoted by Le Canard enchaîné , Gerard Collomb " has had his ex-partner (Meriem Nouri) benefit from several municipal jobs for more than twenty years ". Jobs which would have also given rise to additional remuneration paid in overtime. The investigators of the National Public Prosecutor's Office will therefore try to establish a possible misappropriation of public funds in favor of Meriem Nouri.

Following the revelations of Chained Duck , the latter reacted explaining that she had not waited for Gerard Collomb to work for the city of Lyon stating that it has been used for 30 years.

Gérard Collomb, nicknamed the "Lyon baron" and re-elected without interruption since 2001 has meanwhile questioned himself in a statement on " the real reasons that lead those who wanted to reach me to disseminate such information ." Indeed, the opening of this preliminary inquiry comes at ten months of the municipal elections that will be run again Gérard Collomb