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Christophe Béchu responds to the controversy over his use of planes in the context of his duties
Christophe Béchu responds to the controversy over his use of planes in the context of his duties. – (FTV)
The magazine “La Topette”, based in Angers where Christophe Béchu was mayor, reveals that he used business planes specially chartered from Toulouse during six trips to France.
“I confirm and assume responsibility for these thefts.” Guest of the show “Planète info” on franceinfo, the Minister of Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, reacted on Wednesday December 6 to the magazine’s investigation La Topettebased in Angers where he was mayor, who reveals that he used business planes specially chartered from Toulouse during six trips to France as part of his duties, between July 31 and November 14, 2023 .
“I didn’t go on vacation for three weeks to Polynesia,” defended Christophe Béchu, who mentioned “four moves” to go to the scene of natural disasters, while the magazine La Topette also mentions travel for conferences. “The rule is the train for journeys of less than three hours, between three and four hours we examine [les options], and the plane for journeys of more than four hours”, added the minister, explaining that he had no “best option” for pinned routes.
He denounces the “controversial desire” of the magazine at the origin of the investigation
Paris-Montpellier, Angers-Perpignan, Angers-Grenoble, Paris-Lorient, Angers-Nice, Calais-Metz: while the investigation targeted six plane trips, thanks to a fleet based at the national aviation school civil (Enac) in Toulouse, the Minister of Ecological Transition explained that his plane journeys represented few trips, around ten out of more than 120 trips according to him. He also mentioned a “controversial desire of a newspaper which has quite marked local political orientations”.
Lhe issue of ministers’ plane travel is not new. In 2022, the Prime Minister at the time, Jean Castex, was singled out for going to vote in Falcon in the Pyrénées-Orientales during the first round of the presidential election.
