Paris Habitat has asked outgoing socialist deputy Jérôme Lambert to return the social housing he has occupied for 25 years, for a monthly rent of 971 euros, the president of the social landlord Éric Pliez announced on Twitter on Friday.

“Informed of the situation of deputy Jérôme Lambert, Paris Habitat immediately asked him to return his accommodation,” writes Éric Pliez, the mayor of the 20th arrondissement of Paris. “Social housing should be reserved for those who really need it. We will ensure this at Paris Habitat with reinforced controls,” he continued.

Mediapart had revealed on Thursday that the deputy for Charente Jérôme Lambert, who was not invested by the New popular ecological and social union (Nupes) and who is running as a dissident candidate, lived in intermediate rent housing (PLI) in the park of Paris Habitat, with an area of ​​95 m2 for 971 euros per month (excluding charges), far from the price of housing in the private market, estimated at around 2,300 euros.

According to the website of the National Assembly, the allowance of a parliamentarian amounts to 5,679 euros net per month.

"There is nothing hidden, everything is clear from the start", according to Jérôme Lambert

Interviewed Thursday evening, Jérôme Lambert stressed that "there is nothing hidden, everything is clear from the start. The fact that a Member lives in intermediate accommodation is nothing new. It's not an HLM."

“25 years ago I got this five-bedroom apartment (we were a family of five then) for the market price, 900 euros. Lease increases were indexed to the cost of construction index, or about 1% per year. Today, it is no longer the market price,” he acknowledged.

"It's completely legal, it's not a free pass. I am being sued that makes no sense. Paris Habitat has never asked me for anything” until now, he added. He specified that he was going to leave this accommodation, within the framework of the divorce agreement with his wife who is his former collaborator. According to Mediapart, he also owns a house in his constituency of Charente.

Aged 64, Jérôme Lambert is running for an eighth term in the legislative elections, in the 3rd district of Charente, under the label Mouvement des Citoyens, because he was not invested by the PS, as part of the Nupes, because of his opposition to the marriage for all law.

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He is the oldest deputy in terms of term of office, having been a deputy between 1986 and 1993, then continuously since 1997.