Emergency hearing after complaint over electoral rules
Laura Villars has won emergency proceedings at the Paris Court. The judge allowed her to take the FIA to an emergency court. The hearing is scheduled for 10 November at 9.30 am in Paris. Both parties have been invited.
What is it about?
Villars was one of the three candidates seeking to run against the incumbent president. Election rules require each candidate to put together a ‘presidential list’ of 10 people from different regions. That requirement proved decisive.
It follows from the rules that there is only one suitable representative for South America. However, she has already announced her support for the incumbent president. As a result, the other candidates could not complete their lists before the 24 October deadline.
Implications for the election
That situation threatens to leave only one valid candidate standing in December. One of the opposing candidates, Tim Mayer, previously acknowledged that his chances were lost. He openly criticised the process and chose to file official complaints within the FIA but not to go to court.
Why Villars went to court
Villars says she first tried to have a constructive conversation with the FIA. She feels she did not get satisfactory, concrete answers. Therefore, she now wants the matter legally reviewed. She stresses that her concern is the protection of the organisation and the importance of internal democracy and transparency.
Her lawyer said the authorisation for the emergency injunction shows that the court is taking the alleged deficiencies seriously. According to him, multiple violations of statutes and rules are at issue.
FIA response
The FIA informs that it cannot comment on the substance of the legal action due to the nature of the procedure. The organisation did publish a statement on the election process. It states that the rules and deadlines are set out in the statutes and internal regulations and that this information has been made publicly available to members since 13 June 2025.
The FIA stresses that the requirements for regional representation and selection from the World Council are not new and also applied to previous elections.
Key facts at a glance
- Emergency session in Paris: 10 November, 9.30am.
- Deadline presidential lists: 24 October.
- Problem: only one suitable candidate from South America, supporting the incumbent president.
- Result: only the incumbent president seems to remain as a valid candidate in December.
Now what?
The case goes to court on 10 November. Villars says she faces the hearing with calmness, openness and determination. She hopes for a sincere conversation that leads to fairer and more modern rules and more connection with members.
The presidential list of the only remaining authorised candidate is expected to be made public soon.
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