An investigating judge will look into former Prime Minister and Mayor of Le Havre, Édouard Philippe, for alleged crimes of embezzlement of public funds, favoritism, conflict of interest, and misappropriation committed by a public official, related to the management of the city of Le Havre, according to the Economic Crimes Prosecutor’s Office reported this Tuesday.
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Philippe, president of the center-right party Horizons, is currently the best-positioned candidate to contest a runoff against the far-right National Rally, which remains the favorite in the polls. The investigation opened by the Prosecutor’s Office, a relatively common procedure to delve into a complaint, could seriously harm his intentions to run in the elections if it ultimately results in an indictment.
Philippe’s circle stated that “he will answer all questions from the justice system, as he always has, with complete calm,” and assured that the former prime minister learned of the news through the press. His lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, declined to comment, according to Le Parisien.
This decision comes after a complaint filed in June 2025 by the former deputy general director of the Le Havre Seine Métropole urban community between 2020 and 2023, which Philippe presided over. As a result, an investigation was opened and searches were conducted in April 2024. Subsequently, in June 2025, the complainant filed a lawsuit. From the beginning, Philippe has denied the accusations.
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The complaint also points to Stéphanie de Bazelaire, head of innovation and digital affairs, as well as Claire-Sophie Tasias. The suspicions focus on a multi-year agreement signed in July 2020 for the management of the Digital City of Le Havre. The agreement was signed, among others, by Philippe and Bazelaire, who also acted as voluntary president of the LH French Tech association, the beneficiary of the tender.
The association, created in July 2020, was selected after a call for interest launched in March of the same year by the urban community, within the framework of a “service of general economic interest.” It was the only candidate and was to receive 2.154 billion euros in public compensation to develop various projects.
According to the complainant — who was deputy general director of the urban community between September 2020 and April 2023 — the conflict of interest “seems absolutely evident.” She stated that “the mayor and his deputy,” the latter as president of the association, would have “control over considerable sums” intended for activities potentially related to their municipal functions.
