The secretary general of the Élysée is suspected of a conflict of interest because of his relationship with the shipowner MSC.
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Lhe secretary general of the Élysée Alexis Kohler was indicted on September 23 for “illegal taking of interests” and placed under the status of assisted witness for “influence peddling” in the investigation into his links with the MSC shipowner. He was not placed under judicial supervision.
Alexis Kohler “forcefully denies having committed any offence”, assured in a press release his lawyer, Mr.e Eric Dezeuze. “Without taking into consideration at this stage the many objective exculpatory elements, Alexis Kohler was placed under the status of indicted for illegal taking of interests for facts that may date back more than ten years”, explains Mr.e Dezeuze, affirming that “the rest of the procedure, to which he now has access” would “allow him to demonstrate his innocence”.
Despite this indictment, Alexis Kohler remains in his post with President Emmanuel Macron, however ensures the Elysee.
A preliminary investigation closed without further action in 2019
The case was born after the publication in 2018 of several articles by Mediapart. The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office had opened a preliminary investigation, which it had closed without further action in August 2019, indicating that the analysis of the elements collected “did not (allow) to characterize the offenses initially suspected”. But the anti-corruption association Anticor obtained the relaunch of the investigations in June 2020 thanks to a complaint with civil action, which most of the time allows the appointment of an investigating judge.
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MSC is a major client of STX France (now renamed Chantiers de l’Atlantique), which manages the Saint-Nazaire shipyards.
Alexis Kohler, the right and faithful arm of the president, is an extremely discreet man, keeping away from the media. This 49-year-old senior civil servant has held the strategic position of secretary general of the Élysée since the start of the first five-year term. Installed in an office next to the president, he manages emergency situations, major economic and social issues, but also political ones on a daily basis.