The president of the Lyon metropolis, Véronique Sarselli, has returned the official delegations of three vice-presidents, including Jean-Michel Aulas, the first vice-president, after they had been temporarily removed earlier this year. In a statement dated September 10, Sarselli explained that her decision was made "for the institution and the territory, not for individuals." The three officials—Jean-Michel Aulas, Laure Cédat, and Emmanuel Imberton—had previously been stripped of their roles following allegations of sexual assault against a former employee of Jean-Michel Aulas’s mayoral campaign. The move aims to restore institutional stability and respect for the victims involved. The allegations came to light in June when BFM Lyon reported that Roman Abreu, a campaign staffer, was accused of sexually assaulting a former member of the campaign team during a party. The victim claimed the assault involved "chemical submission," a term that refers to the use of substances to incapacitate a person without their consent. Abreu denies the accusations. Jean-Michel Aulas stated that he had encouraged the victim to file a complaint, but she had initially chosen not to. He said he had removed Abreu from campaign premises but did not terminate his role. Véronique Sarselli had previously asked the three officials to step back from their representative roles as a gesture of respect for the alleged victim and the institution they serve. Her decision to restore their delegations this week comes with a reminder of the core values expected of the metropolis’s leadership: loyalty, solidarity, collective work, and respect for the institution. These principles, she emphasized, are non-negotiable and must be upheld by all members of the executive. Jean-Michel Aulas expressed approval of Sarselli’s decision, acknowledging that recent events had been challenging for the institution and its members. He admitted that his initial response to the situation had not been fully appropriate and that some of his reactions had not been timely. Meanwhile, the Lyon prosecutor’s office has launched a judicial investigation into the allegations against Roman Abreu, focusing on the crime of aggravated sexual assault. Local media reported that a first court hearing took place on April 21, with another scheduled for September 15.