Two months later, Karim Bouamrane (PS) counterattacked. Questioned last September by a series of tweets from Citizen Transparency that suspected him, without any evidence, of embezzlement of public funds, the mayor of Saint-Ouen and founder of the political movement Humane and Strong France (FHF) took the association to court for defamation. He condemned “false accusations” and “publications without any basis”.
A consignment hearing, before a possible trial, will be held this Friday afternoon at the Paris judicial court. Known as the originator of the publication of the expenditure reports of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (PS) and the mayors of the capital, the association sees it as an “intimidation maneuver” and a “silencing procedure”.
🔴POLITICAL PARTIES AT TAXPAYERS’ BURDEN: OUR INVESTIGATION 🔴
We are interested in the newborn on the left: Humane and Strong France. One element is the concern that the formation of this party was tainted by a mistake, in this case the embezzlement of public funds.
— Transparency Citizen (@TransparenceCit) September 11, 2025
After several months of what was considered an “investigation”, Citizen Transparency hypothesized that Karim Bouamrane’s training launch meeting, held on October 3, 2024 at the Bauer stadium, was organized “at the expense of taxpayers”.
What for ? Because the movement’s funding body was created “less than a month” before the event and because the city government had not deigned to send the rental contract for the stadium – incorrectly named “André-Bauer” even though the doctor who gave it his name was called Jean-Claude – or the slightest proof of expenditure.
“They start a fire without starting the first log”
The lack of response was justified in the simplest way by Mr Nicolas Sfez, FHF board. “These documents do not exist because it is not the city hall that pays but the association (Editor’s note: movement), he observed. Everything is done according to the rules. The event is primarily financed by donations and contributions. »
Otherwise, the questions asked are simple speculation. “They continued with innuendo,” regrets Me Sfez. They have no material evidence but still leave room for doubt. In other words, they started a fire without starting the first log. However, it is not neutral when discussing embezzlement of public funds. We have no problem with the obligation of transparency and with the work done by the association in this regard, but we cannot write what we want without the support of the association. »
For Me François Léger, attorney for Citizen Transparency, defamation cannot be recognized against the association because the association took the precaution of using a conditional and interrogative mode in these messages and therefore did not make accusations.
There is no “personal animosity” towards Karim Bouamrane, the association said
“This association has a legitimate aim, namely to deny facts that could lead to misappropriation of public funds,” he added. During the trial, the lawyer will also emphasize his “no personal animosity” towards Karim Bouamrane.
Mayor of Saint-Ouen since 2020, Karim Bouamrane gained national fame thanks to the Paris 2024 Olympics – the Olympic Village is located, in part, on the territory of the commune – and the political instability born of the June 2024 dissolution. Supporting the social democratic line and opposing any alliance with the French rebels, the elected socialist then saw his name mentioned, among others, for Matignon.
It was in this context, approximately a year ago, that he launched his political movement at a rally attended by François Hollande (PS), Anne Hidalgo (PS), Raphaël Glucksmann (Place publique) and Carole Delga (PS). For the occasion, he took over the Bauer stadium, home of his favorite club, Red Star. A building sold by the City, its longtime owner, to the real estate group Réalités in 2021 to allow for renovations.
