Pierre-Edouard Sterin declines to appear before the National Assembly inquiry.

The businessman **Pierre-Edouard Sterin**, initiator of a political project called **”Pericles”**, aimed at “Making an elite get up” with “All right-wing forces”, did not attend a summons to a commission of inquiry in the National Assembly on Wednesday, May 14, sparking the ire of its president.

“His absence(…) is not respectful of the work of the National Assembly and resembles a dilatory maneuver since we have been working to organize this hearing for almost a month”, stated **Thomas Cazenave**, president of the commission of inquiry concerning the organization of elections in France.

Cazenave issued another summons to the businessman on Tuesday at 11 am, warning that the public prosecutor would be involved if he failed to comply. The refusal to appear before a commission of inquiry carries penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of €7,500.

**Pierre-Edouard Sterin**, 51, a Catholic Conservative who amassed his fortune with his **Smartbox** gift box company, has pledged to distribute approximately **€150 million** over the next decade through his investment fund, **Otium Capital**.

The **”Pericles” project**, named after the Athenian strategist, also stands as an acronym for “resistant rooted patriots Christian identity European sovereignist.” Its goal is to “Make an elite get up” with “All right-wing forces.” The general director of Pericles, **Arnaud Rérolle**, attended the commission of inquiry on May 6 and described the initiative as “a nursery of metapolitical projects” that provide “the means to set up a citizen initiative,” mentioning “Media” and “Circles of reflection” to “produce,” “broadcast,” and “promote ideas in the public space.”

A Commitment to Transparency and Inquiry

The commission of inquiry, instituted in November, is tasked with examining issues surrounding citizen registration on electoral lists and any failures by polling institutes during election campaigns.

Cazenave emphasized that “When Pericles indicates in documents that it wishes to prepare candidates for elections, and to support them financially and materially,” the summons for its initiator and key investor is justified as a way to “ensure that legal and regulatory frameworks are respected.” He added, “No one can be exempt from convocation.” Complications surrounding the efforts to summon Sterin had initiated on April 10.

Sterin had requested that the hearing be held via videoconferencing, citing **”security reasons”** after reportedly receiving **”death threats.”**

“I hope that Mr. Sterin will present himself physically here in the assembly,” insisted Cazenave, arguing that **”security concerns”** were **”perfectly assured”** within the National Assembly, which regularly hosts “ministers, prime ministers, former heads of state, and anti-terrorist judges.” He asserted that “the reason invoked is not valid.”