Prosecutors believe the French president unduly benefited from the consultancy’s services and vice versa. McKinsey’s tax investigations in France have been ongoing since the spring, linked to possible rumors about campaign bank accounts and allegations of favoritism. During Macron’s first term as president, the amount the government spends on consulting firms doubled.
The justice suspects that the McKinsey government has been evaluated when awarding consultancy jobs and whether the projects have been specified correctly. According to Europe correspondent Stefan de Vries, McKinsey would have helped Macron’s electoral campaign ‘in kind’. “This in itself is not a bad thing, but it should be reported, because it will add to the expenses of the campaign. In France there is a limit to how much you can spend on your campaign. If you pass, your election is invalid.’ Macron and the consulting firm say they have done nothing wrong and are fully cooperating with the investigation.
Sarkozy sentenced to prison
Several French politicians have been convicted over the years of excessive spending or of trying to cover election expenses. Among them is the late former president Jacques Chirac. Nicolas Sarkozy, also a former right-wing president, was sentenced last year to a year in prison for illegally funding his 2012 re-election bid.