French culture minister probed over illegal work on listed building
The future of French culture minister Françoise Nyssen has been thrown into doubt after prosecutors opened an investigation into how the publishing compnay she led before joining the government carried out building work in 2012 to substantially enlarge its offices in a listed Paris building without planning permission or informing the tax authorities, one year after it allegedly similarly enlarged its head office in Arles without planning permission.
ParisParis prosecutors have opened a preliminary probe into possible building violations by a publishing house co-founded by culture minister Françoise Nyssen, a judicial source said, reports Reuters.
Investigators launched the probe on Thursday after satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné reported that Nyssen and her husband had enlarged Actes Sud’s Paris office without informing city and tax authorities.
The publishing house said in a statement that it would take “all necessary action” to bring its offices in line with building regulations.
Nyssen told journalists that Actes Sud’s statement required no further comment and said that “no company is above the law”.
Eager to keep sleaze from weakening his reform drive, President Emmanuel Macron has insisted that he would hold ministers to the highest ethical standards.
