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- Who is Patrick Balkany? Origins and public identity of a controversial figure
- Political career and rise in Levallois-Perret: the builder mayor who became emblematic
- Judicial cases that marked Patrick Balkany’s political life
- Recent projects and news about Patrick Balkany in 2025: from prison to electoral campaign
Patrick Balkany, born August 16, 1948, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, is above all a name that resonates strongly in the French political landscape. At 77 years old, the man was about 1.75m tall, but it is especially his political stature that marked Levallois-Perret, this city that he led for more than three decades.
You know, his path does not resemble that of classic politicians. He never got his high school diploma, but he launched himself into politics with, it must be said, quite a dose of boldness. Far from being an unknown, he was a key figure of the Republicans, successively in the RPR, then in the UMP and finally in the party Les Républicains.
And then, there was this builder side in Levallois-Perret where he transformed, remodeled the city with new neighborhoods, offices, housing. But well, behind this metamorphosis also hides a debt management that caused many grumbles.
You can’t talk about Balkany without also talking about his numerous legal troubles, his convictions for tax fraud, money laundering, illegal taking of interests… he spent time in prison, yet he kept this energy to want to constantly return to the political arena. Frankly, he didn’t give up.
Who is Patrick Balkany? Origins and public identity of a controversial figure
Patrick Balkany is a man from a background marked by exile, survival. His father, Gyula Balkány, a Jewish Hungarian immigrant, went through History, war, deportation, which inevitably shapes a person. Patrick grew up in a family attached to success, textile trade, with luxury stores in Paris.
You can already sense that the guy has a taste for entrepreneurship and family business before diving into politics. Married to Isabelle Smadja since 1976, the couple forms a political but sometimes explosive duo who also ended up in court.
Publicly, the Balkany we know is a local baron, essential in Levallois-Perret and in the Hauts-de-Seine. With his judicial scars, he is often presented as a symbol of clientelism and opacity that plague some political circles in France.
For those who want to dig into the real life and controversies that surround this figure, the complete biography is quite enlightening, a mix of masterstrokes and repeated scandals.
From the family business to the Élysée Palace: his beginnings before political fame
Imagine, he did his military service at the office of Georges Pompidou. Yes, like that! Not bad for a guy without a high school diploma. This experience must have opened many doors for him. Before that, he had taken over the family business managing luxury clothing stores, so he had a knack for business.
When he ran for office in Auxerre in 1978, he was still a young ambitious man struggling to convince. But he held on. Very quickly, he settled in Levallois, his true land of conquest, where he would build his political empire.
Political career and rise in Levallois-Perret: the builder mayor who became emblematic
His takeover of the mayor’s office in 1983 marks the beginning of an era. He was elected several times, sometimes with the support of a whole part of the right, sometimes despite the justice system which slapped him with heavy charges for illegal taking of interests.
What impresses is the longevity. Thirty-one years at the head of Levallois, can you imagine? He truly shaped this city, between real estate programs, renovation, and economic development. The nickname of builder mayor was deserved.
But things don’t always run smoothly. In 2016, a report by the regional audit chamber severely damaged his management, speaking of anomalies, huge debts, expenses for parties and overly generous bonuses. Yep, not all rosy.
And then there was the Bygmalion affair, public housing, suspicions of embezzlement, investigations for money laundering and tax fraud. The Balkany couple faced several convictions, with prison sentences and ten years of ineligibility. An endless judicial saga.
The human side: family, scandals, and an extraordinary personality
You know, behind the public figure, there is a man whose private life was often exposed, sometimes brutally. The Balkany couple, married since 1976, had two children who themselves also faced legal troubles. And complaints for harassment or assaults are not missing in their trajectory.
These kinds of stories leave their mark on a politician, naturally. But each time, he managed to come back, sometimes helped by a loyal electorate who seem to overlook the legal baggage. It’s crazy how some supporters remain unshakeable.
Judicial cases that marked Patrick Balkany’s political life
Ah, the Balkany cases… It’s a saga by itself. Between tax fraud, aggravated money laundering, illegal taking of interests, the couple was convicted several times. In 2019, the sentence fell: prison time for Patrick Balkany, then an electronic bracelet for health reasons. A brutal fall.
Justice confirmed these sentences in 2020, accompanied by a heavy ineligibility. Result: forced resignation from the mayor’s office of Levallois. In 2022, again, a new incarceration following non-compliance with detention conditions. Then conditional release. A true judicial yo-yo.
That doesn’t stop Patrick Balkany from trying to return to politics in 2025, running in the 2026 municipal elections. The catch? His ineligibility sentence still in force, recently confirmed by the Paris Court of Appeal, which rejected his request for lifting, as reported by several media outlets.
Anecdotes and surprising facts revealing a complex character
You might not have known, but Patrick Balkany even has a small past as an actor. In the 1960s, he acted in some films and series, including Commissaire Moulin where he even played himself. Uncommon for a politician. And then, he did his military service at the Élysée Palace, that’s not nothing.
He also leveraged his ties with African leaders in the 1990s, notably through controversial transactions around uranium mines. In short, quite a few facts that reinforce the image of a man with multiple faces, capable of ruling over a city while navigating sometimes murky waters.
Recent projects and news about Patrick Balkany in 2025: from prison to electoral campaign
Despite everything, here he is in 2025, still spry, determined to resurface. After his release, he does not intend to give up Levallois. He has already formed a list led by a local entrepreneur, ready to fight to regain the mayor’s office. You can feel he has kept that fighting spirit intact.
But he has to deal with his confirmed conviction and solid ineligibility. The refusal by the Paris Court of Appeal, widely commented on, blocks his path. Yet his close ones say he “continues the campaign” and gives nothing up. In politics, seeing him give up is frankly not his style.
He remains the emblematic – and controversial – figure of Levallois-Perret, surrounded by a loyal network. But after years juggling legal affairs and mandates, the question is: how far will he really go this time?
For more information, you can consult the update on this complete file and follow his striking news.
List of key events and landmark decisions in Patrick Balkany’s career 🏛️
- 🗓️ 1983: First steps as mayor of Levallois-Perret
- ⚖️ 1997: Conviction for illegal taking of interests with two years of ineligibility
- 🔄 2001: Comeback and reelection as mayor
- ⛓️ 2019-2020: Prison sentence for tax fraud confirmed on appeal
- 🚫 2020: Loss of his mandates at the mayor’s office
- ⚖️ 2022: New incarceration for violation of detention conditions
- 📅 2025: Rejection of request for lifting ineligibility by the Court of Appeal
You got it, Patrick Balkany is the embodiment of a political career both fascinating and controversial, where successes and scandals often intertwine.
