Robert Ménard seeks Emmanuel Macron as witness in upcoming trial

Robert Ménard, the mayor of Béziers, has requested that President Emmanuel Macron testify in his upcoming trial. Ménard is scheduled to appear before the Montpellier criminal court on September 30.

The legal proceedings stem from a July 2023 incident in which Ménard refused to officiate a marriage involving a French citizen and an Algerian national who was subject to an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF). While the prosecution determined there was insufficient evidence of marriage fraud and noted that marriage rights are not contingent on residency status, Ménard has framed the incident as a political struggle regarding the conflicting obligations of mayors and state deportation policies.

Ménard intends to use past comments made by President Macron—who previously described the situation as ‘ubuesque’ and a ‘debate of common sense’—to support his defense. The mayor seeks to demonstrate that current regulations place local officials in difficult positions when dealing with individuals subject to removal orders. Ménard has declined a plea bargain, opting to defend his position in court, where he faces potential ineligibility for office.