Monopoly on state contracts? The Elysée Palace, the headquarters of Emmanuel Macron, in the crosshairs of the services

French investigators went on Tuesday to the Élysée Palace, the seat of the country's president, the French media reported. According to them, investigators are interested in awarding public contracts to a company that organized, among others, celebration of the introduction of distinguished personalities to the Pantheon.

The information was first reported by the satirical weekly “Le Canard enchaine”.

Le Monde newspaper noted that investigators were not allowed access to the premises based on an analysis that found the constitution ensures the inviolability of premises related to the office of the president of the country.

The media reports that investigators are interested in the selection of only one company – a company called Shortcuts Events – to organize the ceremony of introducing outstanding figures to the Pantheon, where distinguished personalities for France are buried. The company organized these celebrations from 2002 to 2024. Each of them, according to “Le Canard enchaine”, cost the French state about EUR 2 million. In 2025, another company was selected.

The last time police entered the offices of the Elysée Palace was in 2018, during President Emmanuel Macron's first term. It was related to the case of Alexandre Benalla, an associate of the president, who was caught on camera beating one of the participants of the demonstration during the May 1 demonstration in Paris. The police then searched Benalla's office.

From Paris Anna Wróbel (PAP)

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