Council of State Confirms Laurent Jaoul as Mayor of Saint-Brès

Elections decided on March 15 in Saint-Brès face no further legal challenges after the Conseil d’État rejected a petition from Renaissance candidate Frédérique Réa on Thursday ending months of litigation over the municipal results.

The high administrative court issued a five-page ruling upholding the judgment from the Montpellier administrative court, which had previously dismissed challenges against the victory of Laurent Jaoul’s list, “Ensemble pour Saint-Brès.”

Voters in the Hérault commune cast 954 ballots, representing 53.48 percent of the expressed votes, for Jaoul’s list during the March vote. Réa’s competing list, “Un nouveau souffle pour Saint-Brès,” secured 830 votes.

The legal challenge brought by Réa raised multiple objections, including allegations regarding social media posts, campaign rules, and outreach to the local Romani community. The Conseil d’État reviewed arguments concerning remarks Jaoul made during a March 13 public meeting regarding campaign donations, ruling that maintaining those video clips online on election day did not violate electoral code restrictions on electronic propaganda.

Judges also examined claims regarding interactions with voters from the traveler community at the municipal social action center.

While the court said that Jaoul and a fellow list member invited individuals to vote for their list and provided ballots, it concluded that only 19 voters from this community participated, receiving both available ballots before entering the voting booth. The court determined this maneuver was not extensive enough to alter the sincerity of the ballot.

The high court dismissed requests to declare Jaoul ineligible under article L. 118-4 of the electoral code, finding that the actions cited by the appellant lacked the fraudulent character required to overturn the election or strip the incumbent of his mandate.

Reacting to the final decision, Jaoul said that the rulings by both local and high administrative courts confirmed the validity of the municipal vote.

“The truth has prevailed, the Montpellier administrative court, then the Conseil d’État, have confirmed the absence of irregularity of nature to call into question the sincerity of the municipal elections of Saint-Brès,” Jaoul said, adding that he is “fully restored in his honor and probity.”

Jean-Marc Maillot, attorney for the mayor from the Montpellier bar, detailed the scale of the opposition’s legal challenge.

The mayor scheduled a municipal council meeting at 18:30 on November 12, 2026, to officially present the ruling to residents.