Mediapart published the amounts declared by 1,288 municipalities and intercommunalities. The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis shows the highest total behind the Parisian municipalities. The Alpes-Maritimes is among the most affected areas.
Mediapart released a ranking focused on the representation expenses of local officials. These expenses appear in financial statements without requiring any evidence by the regulations. Controls in this area remain rare and the discrepancies between municipalities can be surprising.
In this ranking, which does not include the figures for the Paris municipalities (where the total for all district mayors and deputy mayors would amount to 208,284 euros), the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis comes first with nearly 37,000 euros in 2024. This amount far exceeds the national median indicated by Mediapart, which is 624 euros per year. According to Mediapart, the metropolis did not wish to provide receipts to the journal. It relies on a deliberation dated July 23, 2020, authorising the coverage of representation expenses in addition to expenses for meals, receptions, stays, and travel. The annual ceiling is around 37,000 euros.
The Alpes-Maritimes also appear among the top rankings. Beausoleil ranks second with 24,000 euros. For comparison, Mediapart recalls that “Anne Hidalgo […] spent 19,006 euros in 2024.” However, Paris has 2.1 million residents. Beausoleil has 12,400.
Several communes in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur exceed 6,000 euros. The Var coast is home to many high declarations. In Fréjus, David Rachline declares 9,688 euros. In Saint-Tropez, the total reaches 18,000 euros. The Court of Accounts reminds that elected officials must keep receipts “in case of control”. But no regulation makes this retention mandatory. Mediapart highlights that “controls are rare and sanctions non-existent.”
The journal thus refers to “a poorly regulated system allowing some to receive a disguised salary. Subject, the income tax.”
A very vague regulation
The question of the legal framework regularly comes up. Expenses for transport, meals, stays, or special mandates are already covered by other budget lines. Representation expenses remain poorly defined. Official lunches, protocol gifts, or various purchases can fall into this category. This grey area leads to very different uses depending on the territories.
PACA, the Île-de-France, and several overseas territories have the highest amounts. Brittany and Corsica declare no representation expenses. The geographical disparities reveal a varied use of this arrangement. Some municipalities do not use it. Others utilize the entirety of the approved budget.
The regional audit chambers intervene little. When a control occurs, reimbursements remain exceptional. Mediapart cites several cases in other regions. The involved officials have sometimes returned part of the sums received. No sanction has been applied.
In the Var, several average-sized communes exceed 12,000 euros. Grimaud, Bormes-les-Mimosas, Le Lavandou, or Cogolin are added to the list. These amounts are observed in towns where the population remains limited. The discrepancy between the size of the municipality and the level of expenses fuels questions.
This ranking rekindles a recurring debate. Without a precise definition and without an obligation for justification, representation expenses constitute a zone of uncertainty. These expenditures also escape the indemnity cap that normally limits the income of elected officials. Some totals thus reach high levels.
Mediapart reminds that a system based on a reimbursement upon receipt would simplify control. Recent attempts to expand the arrangement have, however, shown the opposite. A parliamentary article considered opening these expenses to departments and regions. The article was ultimately deleted.
The ranking thus highlights a legal but poorly regulated system. The publication of these data will fuel local debates. Some candidates for the mayor of Nice have already made requests in this direction.
