Eric Piolle, here at a press conference on May 5 in Paris. – ISA HARSIN / SIPA
The EELV mayor of Grenoble Eric Piolle has been heard in Valence (Drôme) since Tuesday morning, under police custody, as part of an investigation for suspicions of favoritism in the award of a public contract. The municipality of Grenoble was the subject in 2018 of a report from the Regional Chamber of Accounts, which had concluded to “several significant irregularities” in the award of public contracts for the organization of the Tile Festival. This is a popular rally organized each year by the city since the election of Eric Piolle in 2014.
A complaint against X for “favoritism” had also been filed. According to The Dauphiné Libéré, the investigation would concern the attribution of the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Fête des tuiles, from which the Fusées association benefited. The city of Grenoble would be accused of having made this allocation without advertising or competition, for public contracts amounting to 123,000 euros for the 2015 edition, and 128,000 euros for 2016.