Yannick Jadot

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Yannick Jadot accused TotalEnergies of being 'complicit in war crimes' because it continued operating in Russia. The group filed a defamation complaint. After becoming a senator and rapporteur of an inquiry committee into TotalEnergies, Jadot recused himself from hearings concerning Russia because of the litigation. On 6 June 2025, the Paris Criminal Court acquitted him.

Attribution

Accused

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

In January 2025, Yannick Jadot announced his candidacy for mayor of Paris in 2026, hoping to unite the other environmentalist contenders behind him. When his internal rivals did not withdraw, he ended his candidacy twelve days later, in a sequence described as a 'failed gamble'.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Yannick Jadot made the gradual phase-out of nuclear power and prioritisation of renewables central themes of his 2022 presidential campaign. He described Emmanuel Macron's plan to build new EPR reactors as a choice from the past and an irrational gamble, triggering political confrontation over energy security, costs and climate.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In March 2022, Yannick Jadot accused Jean-Luc Mélenchon of 'capitulation' to Russia and indulgence towards Vladimir Putin during the presidential campaign, shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. The phrase deepened divisions on the left over Russia, NATO and sanctions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Yannick Jadot narrowly won the 2021 environmentalist primary against Sandrine Rousseau, with 51.03 % against 48.97 %. In the following days, tensions arose over the role to give his rival and the campaign's direction, between governing environmentalism and a more radical strategy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility

During the 2019 European election campaign, Yannick Jadot sparked controversy on the left by explaining that he did not rule out cooperation in the European Parliament with liberals, social democrats and some right-wing groups. Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused him of defending 'market environmentalism'.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

After winning the 2016 environmentalist primary, Yannick Jadot decided not to stand in the 2017 presidential election so that he could support Benoît Hamon. The withdrawal, unprecedented for an environmentalist candidate since 1974, prompted criticism that EELV's electoral independence was being surrendered.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Yannick Jadot resigned as spokesperson for Eva Joly's presidential campaign in November 2011, explaining that he disagreed with the candidate's new political direction and the distance taken from the agreement between EELV and the Socialist Party.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated