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French public authority to question energy minister over family assets

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France's public standards watchdog is going to investigate media reports regarding assets owned by Agnes Pannier Runacher's children, a spokesperson for the agency said on Tuesday (8 November).

Online investigative media Disclose, and Investigate Europe reported Tuesday that Pannier Runacher's father made her three children shareholders in a company with assets totalling €1.2 million with the intention of avoiding inheritance taxes.

Websites also stated that Pannier-Runacher hadn't disclosed the existence of the company to the watchdog, High Authority for Transparency in Public Life. (HATVP) when she was elected a minister. Pannier-Runacher denied any allegations of misconduct.

Although she wasn't legally required to, the sites quote campaigners that argue that the company's connections with the oil industry created conflict of interest. Pannier-Runacher is the energy minister and has been charged with decreasing France's dependence on fossil fuels.

A spokesperson for HATVP said that the authority would investigate the matter and exchange information with the minister. According to current legislation assets owned by ministers' children don't need to be disclosed when they take office.

Pannier-Runacher, when asked about Tuesday's report in parliament, said that the allegations were false and did not relate to her ministerial role.

She stated that her father wanted to ensure his succession in 2016 via direct transmission to his grand-children. This was done via a French company that paid French taxes and complied with all French legislation.

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She said that "nothing was hidden" and added that she had no rights to any assets of the company.

She said that she had followed HATVP rules. These rules do not require assets to be declared by minister's children.

She told lawmakers that her children have not received any money since the company's creation.

Pannier-Runacher also denied any links to her father's former employer Perenco, an Anglo-French oil firm.

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