The mayor and president of the Montpellier metropolis, Philippe Saurel (various left) could end up in court. The prosecution of Montpellier has indeed ruled for a referral of the elected official before the criminal court for "defamation", learned 20 Minutes on Tuesday. "It is the normal continuation of the procedure, this case will be judged, and we will see who is right, says Philippe Saurel, who was indicted last February. I look forward to this case being tried. "
Although the prosecution has made its final indictment, no order for reference has yet been made. The order could be made by the end of July.
A controversial letter
In April 2019, eleven mayors, municipal and metropolitan councilors of the territory, some of whom had been removed from the metropolitan executive during a major reshuffle a few months earlier, had filed complaints against the elected official.
At the heart of this affair which has agitated the political microcosm for long months, a letter with letterhead from the metropolis, received in February 2019 by the inhabitants of the municipalities whose representatives did not vote for the community budget. With their vote, these elected officials would thus have refused "the common projects which are at the heart of your expectations and your daily life", wrote in this missive Philippe Saurel, before listing the files carried by the metropolis of Montpellier, such as the realization of line 5 of the tram, the fight against floods, the non-increase in taxes or the cycle paths.
"A real punitive strategy"
"Philippe Saurel explains that, since these elected officials voted against the budget, they are against accessibility for disabled people, the fight against floods, etc., was indignant last February 4, with 20 Minutes Maxime Rosier, the lawyer who brought the complaint of the elected officials. They are mayors of small towns, and get hit on the head like that, this real punitive strategy, they did not want to let that go. "
The defamation complaint also concerned a declaration by the president of the metropolis to France 3. "Those who revolt are those who are no longer vice-presidents and who have lost, every month, a salary which corresponded to this mandate", had explained Philippe Saurel, asked about the anger of the mayors after the distribution of the letter. "The president of the metropolis explains that the elected officials did not vote the budget because they lost a salary, that their vote is not in the interest of their municipality, but because of personal interests and financial! Said the lawyer, Maxime Rosier.
"There is no defamation"
“There is no defamation, confides Philippe Saurel on Tuesday. Did I tell a lie in this letter? I only said the truth. The truth of the acts, quite simply. "As for the comments made on France 3, the elected official is also serene. "I said that the vice-presidents were angry because they had lost a vice-president position, and the allowances that pertained to that office," he notes. Which is the strict truth. "
The complaint filed simultaneously, on April 5, 2019, for "illegal taking of interests and embezzlement of public funds", is still pending. Elected officials were insurgent that Philippe Saurel uses public money to distribute a "political tract", said René Revol (FI), the mayor of Grabels, when filing the complaint. In response, Philippe Saurel recalled the cost of the operation: 7,000 euros.
Justice
Montpellier: Mayor Philippe Saurel has been indicted for defamation
Justice
Montpellier: The mayor's office searched in the context of an investigation into the misappropriation of public funds
- Languedoc-Roussillon
- Court
- Montpellier
- Defamation
- Philippe Saurel
- Justice