The latter received 1473 million euros in 2008 1

Scope since this summer by PS members, the controversy on the surveys of the Elysee is in fact called to last. The commission of the laws of the Assembly will have to make a notice Tuesday next the appropriateness of a parliamentary Committee of inquiry sought by the Socialists.

A long crescendo. Mid-July, a few lines of a report by the Court of Auditors set fire to the powder. Dissecting the first budget of the Elysee Palace, as was committed Nicolas Sarkozy, the institution chaired by Philippe Séguin questioned an agreement signed with Patrick Buisson, Councillor opinion of the head of State, which provided Castle in commissioned from studies of polling company Publifact. The latter received 1,473 million euros in 2008, 1.1 million billed for surveys commissioned at OpinionWay. According to the Institute, Patrick Bush had purchased these studies 190,000 euros. Immediately, the PS claimed a parliamentary investigative commission, denouncing the way the "connivance" between the Executive and the media. Refusal of the Executive, by the voice of the keeper of the seals, Michèle Alliot-Marie, and the Director of Office of the Chief of the State Christian Frémont, who rely on both the inconstutionnalité of such request, separation of powers requires. In vain. Tuesday, Bernard Accoyer, President of the Assembly, let the process run its course.

The UMP and the Executive on the spot. In politics as in sport, this is called to return the ball. Bernard Accoyer returns "mistigri" to the commission of the laws of the Assembly, which will have to "decide" on the "appropriateness" of a commission of inquiry. Not matter for him to appear too partisan, nor "circumscribe the rights of Parliament's investigation", the reforms of the Constitution and the rules of the Assembly making the establishment of a commission of inquiry "almost automatic". The law commission chaired by Jean-Luc Warsmann UMP, which will decide next Tuesday, is now facing a dilemma: face front Nicolas Sarkozy or assume a refusal before the view while it is public money. In the majority, many would have actually preferred Bernard Accoyer has stopped net case. "Deeply Profondément opposé opposed" to the creation of a commission of inquiry, Jean-François Copé, President of the UMP group, takes care to recall that the law commission gives only a "notice" and that the "maker" remains... Bernard Accoyer. At the Elysee Palace, plays the "transparency", while setting a "limit", always the same: "no question of blowing up the principle of the separation of powers", while the head of State is not accountable to Parliament. Member of the commission of the laws and trained lawyer, Claude Goasguen does not, see him, "what argument could counter" to the creation of a commission of inquiry: "It's legally unbreakable," he said.

The PS maintained the pressure. Under the new regulations of the Assembly, the Socialists want to use their "drawing rights", i.e. the right to claim the creation of a commission of inquiry. It is "winner or winner for us!", exclaims the MP Sandrine Mazetier: "Or the right blocks the process and it becomes an affair of State;" or the commission of inquiry place and difficult weeks ahead for Nicolas Sarkozy and his majority. "The PS denounced the problems of ethics, the manipulation of the opinion, the failure to respect the rule of calls for tender for public procurement and in barely veiled terms, possible embezzlement of public funds if it proves that the Elysee has funded surveys on behalf of the UMP. "The rules of the Assembly is clear: our request should be sent to Parliament for a vote and, if three-fifths of deputies would object, there must be Board of inquiry", said Martine Aubry Tuesday at a press conference. "A what would be that there is, once per session, a drawing right should this request pass laws commission and be emptied of its contents", she asked putting pressure on the members of this commission. The Executive applies, to discredit the opposition approach, described as "political agitation" by Luc Chatel, the spokesman for the Government. On the eve of the regional, the battle of the surveys of the Elysée is played first before the opinion.