Zemmour’s Reconquête party wins case against Lyon’s migrant NGO funding

The administrative court in Lyon has annulled a municipal subsidy granted to the NGO SOS Méditerranée after a legal challenge by the Reconquête party, led by Eric Zemmour.

The ruling requires the NGO to repay the funds, while the city’s Mayor, Grégory Doucet, has announced plans to appeal.

The case was brought before the administrative court by the Rhone branch of  Reconquête. It not only annulled the €12,000 subsidy granted in 2023 but also ordered the city to recover the money.

It found that the municipal decision approving the subsidy did not include sufficient safeguards or oversight to ensure the funds would be used exclusively for the NGO’s humanitarian sea-rescue operations.

The court specifically noted the absence of clear conditions regarding how the subsidy should be used, as well as a lack of monitoring mechanisms. On this basis, it ruled the funding decision unlawful.

In response, the Lyon municipality stated it would comply with the ruling and begin the repayment process, while also filing an appeal.

The city is relying on a May 2024 decision by the Council of State (Conseil d’État), which upheld similar subsidies granted by other local authorities, including Paris and the Hérault, on the Mediterranean coast of southern France.

The decision comes amid ongoing political tensions in Lyon over public funding for associations. Critics argue that such subsidies, amounting to around €110 million in 2024, are excessive or ideologically driven, while the city’s leadership defends them as support for humanitarian efforts and human dignity.

The organisation currently receives support from more than 100 local authorities across France.