Overview
- Investigators who arrived at the Élysée Palace Tuesday morning were denied entry under presidential immunity, the financial prosecutor said.
- Presidency officials said documents related to non-presidential staff would be supplied on request, which is the standard process for judicial inquiries.
- Separate searches ordered by investigating judges targeted the National Monuments Centre, the events firm Shortcut Events, and several private homes, according to the prosecutor.
- Prosecutors are examining suspected favoritism, influence peddling, conflicts of interest, and corruption tied to how memorial ceremonies at the Panthéon were awarded.
- The inquiry focuses on why Shortcut Events secured Panthéon ceremonies for more than 20 years until 2024, with each event reported to cost about €2 million, and on any links to the state heritage agency.