On October 3, the Saint-Etienne municipal majority signed an ethics charter at the town hall, following approval by the municipal council on September 21. The charter, according to a press release from the municipality, aims to "strengthen trust between citizens and their elected officials." This initiative is meant to go beyond legal requirements by establishing ethics and professional conduct as concrete principles of public action. Julien Ouguergouz, charged with democratic renewal, explained in a video published on the city's Facebook page that the charter includes "measures and operational devices to combat the concentration of power, to promote transparency in politics, but also integrity and the fight against discrimination." Among the measures outlined in the charter are the publication of elected officials' allowances, the abolition of the mayor's reserve, and the annual publication of the budget in a simplified version. The charter also prohibits "nepotism, favoritism, family jobs in the mayor's and elected officials' office." Members of the municipal majority commit to making public their attendance in the institutions in which they sit, or to respect "strict" rules regarding invitations, gifts, or benefits offered to them. The signing of the ethics charter comes in the wake of a sextape blackmail scandal that marked the political sphere in Saint-Etienne. The scandal involved former mayor Gaël Perdriau, who was sentenced to four years in prison on appeal on September 10. This event has highlighted the need for greater transparency and ethical standards in local governance. The new charter is seen as a response to these challenges, aiming to restore public confidence in the political process and ensure that elected officials are held to higher standards of accountability and integrity.