The NFP candidate for Matignon is currently on paid leave from the Paris city hall. A situation incompatible with her campaign, according to the opposing parties.
Lucie Castets has been holding numerous political, union and worker meetings since she was chosen as the candidate for Matignon by the New Popular Front. She is constantly travelling, and the fact that she is a civil servant at Paris City Hall, as Director of Finance and Purchasing, on leave, is disturbing. The Parisian opposition, therefore on the right, believes that she should have put herself “on leave”, instead of fighting on her paid leave days, reports BFMTVAs a reminder, a civil servant can put himself “on availability”, which corresponds to a sort of unpaid leave.
Invited on RTL on August 1, she justified herself by assuring: “My personal situation is very clear and obviously, I made sure that everything was in order.” This situation was denounced by the Canard enchaîné, on July 31, on X: “Lucie Castets […] failed to make himself available after the City of Paris […]. She just took leave until August 30.” An accusation to which she responds that she has “the right to have political opinions and activities” on her days off, adding: “If necessary, when the time comes, I will take leave.
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Opposition demands sanction
While the travel expenses of the candidate for the post of Prime Minister are paid for by the parties that make up the New Popular Front, the Parisian right has sent a letter to the Paris public prosecutor, speaking of “a violation of her duty of reserve by her political positions, which exposes her, at the very least, to disciplinary action”, also mentioning “misappropriation of public funds”, since she is always paid by the City of Paris during her holidays.
Accusations dismissed by Lucie Castets, who explained on RTL: “I can see that the Parisian right-wing opposition is trying to find support against the New Popular Front which came out on top in the elections”, and added that this “diverts the debate from the real issues”.