Mayor François Commeinhes steps down following his ultimate sentencing for financial misappropriation in Sète.
François Commeinhes, the polarizing figure of Sète, has decided to step down as mayor following his conviction for misappropriation of public funds. The Court of Cassation finally upheld the Montpellier Court of Appeal's ruling from October 2023, sentencing Commeinhes to one year in prison suspended, a hefty fine of 15,000 euros, and a five-year ban from holding public office.
In a candid video posted on Facebook, the 75-year-old former senator (2014-2017, UMP then The Republicans) expressed his respect for the verdict, despite finding it disproportionate. Unable to fulfill his responsibilities as mayor and president of the agglomeration, he elected to resign and pass the reigns to his first deputy, Blandine Authié, until the prefect confirms his decision. Within a fortnight, a municipal council must appoint a new captain to steer Sète, the vibrant port city of 45,000 residents that Commeinhes has led since 2001.
Previously acquitted in the initial trial, Commeinhes was found guilty on appeal for authorizing decrees that inexplicably inflated the remuneration of the former general director of the municipality's services, Patrice Millet, by 99,000 euros, and the head of the real estate service's salary by 44,000 euros.
"Only a blunder, made with malicious intent by an untrustworthy person who violated my trust, will have led to the demise of these mandates," he conceded, having ruled Sète for a staggering twenty-four years.
The case allegedly involved irregularities in public procurement and potential conflicts of interest. Commeinhes, a member of the center-right Les Républicains party, vehemently denied the allegations but faced mounting pressure as the debates over transparency in local governance intensified.
Sources:
- French judicial databases (e.g., Legifrance)
- Various French media outlets (Agence France-Presse, Le Monde, and Libération)
- The municipal council in Sète, a vibrant port city in the Hérault department, will need to appoint a new mayor within two weeks, following the resignation of François Commeinhes due to his conviction for misappropriation of public funds.
- Despite finding the verdict disproportionate, Commeinhes, who served as mayor of Sète for an unprecedented 24 years, has confirmed his resignation as mayor and president of the agglomeration, stepping down temporarily in the interim to Blandine Authié, his first deputy.
- Commeinhes' downfall stems from a case of irregularities in public procurement and potential conflicts of interest, where he was found guilty of authorizing decrees that resulted in inflated remuneration for the former general director and head of the real estate service in Sète.
- Commeinhes was a prominent member of the Les Républicains party and faced mounting pressure as debates over transparency in local governance became increasingly intense, with the allegations against him making headlines in various French media outlets, including Agence France-Presse, Le Monde, and Libération.
