The president of Nîmes Métropole, the urban community of Nîmes, was sentenced to 15 months suspended prison sentence, 15,000 euros fine and 5 years of ineligibility by the Nîmes Court of Appeal. At first instance, in June 2021, the Nîmes criminal court had not judged the elected official on the merits, arguing that the reasonable time limit had been exceeded.
Franck Proust (LR) was indicted in 2017 for influence peddling, attempted influence peddling and favoritism. The facts denounced date back to the period between 2002 and 2006. Franck Proust was then the president of Senim (equipment company of Nîmes and its region).
Beyond the requisitions of the prosecution
He was accused of having favored the sale of land to a real estate developer (Jean-Luc Colonna d’Istria). This would have made available to him, in exchange, a room for his campaign for the 2007 legislative elections. He was also prosecuted for favoritism in the awarding of works contracts in the Triangle area of the station.
He was released for the acts of favoritism, but was convicted of influence peddling. His lawyer, Philippe Expert, has announced his intention to appeal to the Court of Cassation. The judges went beyond the requisitions of the prosecution, which had not requested ineligibility.
Heavyweight in local politics
The elected official is a heavyweight in political life in the Gard. He is close to the mayor of Nîmes Jean-Paul Fournier (LR), for whom he had acted during the convalescence between August 2107 and January 2018 following his health problems. Former first deputy mayor of Nîmes, former MEP, he is the current vice-president of the EPP (European People’s Party), to which Les Républicains adhere.