The Ethics Commission of the city of Paris indicated on Friday that Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s trip to the Pacific, mocked by the opposition, was “ethically regular”. His long trip, first official then private, was widely criticized by the right-wing opposition, mocking the carbon footprint and the cost of this trip.
“In view of the elements available to the Ethics Commission, it is considered that Anne Hidalgo made a professional trip to New Caledonia and Polynesia financed by the Parisian community from October 16 to 21, 2023 morning as well as a trip privately from the afternoon of October 21 to November 5, 2023, covered by his personal funds, these trips are regular from an ethical point of view”, indicated the Commission according to a press release from the City.
The mayor of Paris did not go in person to the site of the Olympic surfing event
The trip by Anne Hidalgo, accompanied by her deputies for Sports Pierre Rabadan and Overseas Jacques Martial, took place from October 16 to 22, according to the agenda sent on Monday, a posteriori, by the City, which had not so far no official communication on this subject. Its particular aim, according to the town hall, was to evoke the Olympic Games, the surfing event of which must be held at the Teahupoo site in Tahiti.
But the mayor did not go in person to this site, being represented by Pierre Rabadan, the town hall acknowledged in the press release on Monday, explaining that this decision had been taken “at the request of the Polynesian president” Moetai Brotherson, of made of “local tensions”.
“It is noted that part of the program was not carried out by the mayor of Paris, but by Pierre Rabadan, in his capacity as deputy (…) in charge in particular of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, from October 21 afternoon. Thus, the City of Paris did not finance with public funds the personal and private activity of the Mayor of Paris and did not suffer any damage,” assures the Ethics Commission.