Pierre-Edouard Sterin refuses a brand new summons to the Assembly, the president of the fee of inquiry publicizes that he’ll seize justice | EUROtoday

For the second time in lower than per week, his chair remained empty. Reconked after a primary absence seen on May 14, the billionaire Pierre-Edouard Sterin didn’t seem within the National Assembly earlier than the fee of inquiry on the “organization of the elections in France”, Tuesday May 20, whose president, Thomas Cazenave (Gironde, collectively for the Republic), due to this fact introduced that he would seize justice.

Mr. Sterin, who has grow to be a billionaire together with his firm of Smartbox present containers, is on the origin of a political undertaking referred to as “Pericles”, reference to the traditional Athenian strategist, however above all unequivocal acronym “Patriots Résracinés Resistant Identitaires Christian Liberal European sovereignist”. This fee of inquiry focuses, amongst different issues, on the issues of registration of residents on the electoral lists and any failures of the survey institutes through the campaigns.

“” [Pierre-Edouard Stérin] On the opposite hand on tv channels, it appears “regretted Mr. Cazenave. The liberal and conservative billionaire had, in fact, intervened a little earlier on CNews, in videoconference of his home, to affirm that his summons was only “Pretext” for deputies who “Just need to do the Marioles in entrance of the cameras”.

Reacting to the absence of Mr. Sterin, Yaël Braun-Pivet, the president of the National Assembly, enjoined him on Tuesday “Respect” the National Assembly. “Refusing to respond to the summons of a parliamentary commission of inquiry is serious. Doing it on behalf of an alleged lack of security is ridiculous. I am there every day, despite the threats “wrote m^me Braun-Pivet on X. “Mr. Sterin, comply with your obligations, respect the National Assembly and his control work, respect the French. »»

Ready to pay 150 million euros to influence public debate

The businessman was supposed to explain his political activism, he who said he was ready to spend 150 million over ten years, through his investment fund Otium Capital, to influence public debate and support candidates in the elections. Its objective is to make the rights triumph over a liberal line in economics and conservative on social subjects.

Responsible for this great design, his right arm, Arnaud Rérolle, had testified in early May to the commission of inquiry, and presented the company as “A nursery of metapolitical projects”mixing “Media” And “Circles of reflection” in order to ” produce “,, ” broadcast “ And “Promote ideas in public space”. This hearing was also invoked by Mr. Sterin to justify his attitude: “I do not want to move to answer a few questions to which my partner has also already answered. »»

The businessman, who lives in Belgium, also argued that he had “Received dozens of death threats” For which he also filed a complaint against X on Monday at the Paris court, the France-Presse agency learned from his lawyer on Tuesday.

“Nothing justifies that Mr. Sterin places himself above the laws of the Republic”

“The Interior Ministry was ready to ensure [sa] security “retorted Mr. Cazenave, who announced that he “Would address this afternoon a letter to the public prosecutor of Paris to note the fact that he does not respect the obligations made to him”. In this case, the refusal to appear before a commission of inquiry is punishable by two years’ imprisonment and 7,500 euros fine.

“Nothing justifies that Mr. Sterin places himself above the laws of the Republic. Nothing justifies that Mr. Sterin despises the National Assembly and his representatives ”insisted Mr. Cazenave. His “rebellious” colleague Antoine Léaument (Essonne), rapporteur of the fee of inquiry, estimated that the billionaire “Try to play the watch, since he is aware of that this fee of inquiry is proscribed in time, so he seeks to shirk his obligations”.