Key Players & Conflicts of Interest
Who is pushing the Europa Vall\u00e9e project? What are their connections and conflicts of interest? All information below is sourced and verifiable.
Three overlapping roles that raise questions
The situations described below are factual observations based on public sources. They do not constitute criminal accusations but raise legitimate questions about the impartiality of the decision-making process.
Bierry's dual roles
Commissioner of the study (ADIRA) then political decision-maker (CEA). His wife works at the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration des SCoT, while the SCoT is at the heart of the project.
Jung's dual roles
11 years of overlapping positions at ADIRA and the Regional Council, supported the Macks then led the study on their project, alternate for the local MP.
Graef-Eckert's dual roles
Simultaneously VP of the CEA (political decision) and VP of ADIRA (study operator) — raising questions about the separation of roles.
Network of connections
Interactive visualization of the links between project stakeholders. Click and drag nodes to explore.
Project proponents and supporters
Individuals and institutions pushing the Europa Vall\u00e9e project.
Mack Family
Michael, Roland, Thomas, Jurgen Mack
Europa Valley project developers through Mack One
Positions held
- - Owners of Europa-Park (valued at ~3 billion euros)
- - Directors of Mack One France SAS (SIREN 893 901 678, Plobsheim)
- - Michael Mack: Honorary Consul of France, Knight of the Legion of Honour (2025)
Questions raised
- According to Rue89 Strasbourg, the Mack family held meetings with elected officials and civil servants to advance the project, without Mack One appearing in the HATVP registry — which could constitute a violation of the Sapin II law on lobbying transparency
- According to the same sources, Michael Mack allegedly asked Alsatian elected officials for 'a clear political will' during a meeting at Mack One headquarters in Plobsheim
- Roland and Michael Mack were awarded the Legion of Honour in January 2025, during a period when the Europa Valley process was underway
Frederic Bierry
LR (centre-right)
Key political driver behind the project's revival
Positions held
- - President of the European Collectivity of Alsace (CEA) since 2021
- - Former president of ADIRA (2015-2023)
- - Former president of the Bas-Rhin Departmental Council
Questions raised
- Dual ADIRA/CEA roles: as ADIRA president, he commissioned the 260,000-euro study; as CEA president, he then politically championed the SCoT modification — a situation that could constitute a conflict of interest
- His wife holds a directorship at the National Federation of SCoTs, while a SCoT modification is central to the project — a proximity that raises questions
- Announced the project's 'abandonment' in June 2024, then had its revival voted through in May 2025 — raising questions about the consistency of his public communications
- Proposed a partnership between the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle (CEA public heritage) and the Mack family in January 2026
Monique Jung Gengenwin
Director of Enterprise/Territories Division, ADIRA
ADIRA director, managed the 260,000-euro study
Positions held
- - Director of ADIRA (since 2015), currently Director of Enterprise/Territories Division
- - Former Alsace Regional Councillor (2004-2015), 10th VP, Economy and Research committees
- - Alternate candidate for the Renaissance MP of Bas-Rhin's 5th constituency (Selestat-Erstein) in 2022 and 2024
- - Daughter of Germain Gengenwin, former UDF MP for the same constituency for 22 years
Questions raised
- Dual ADIRA/Regional Council roles (2004-2015): for 11 years, simultaneously employed by ADIRA and elected to committees that decided on ADIRA's funding — a combination that raises ethics questions
- According to Rue89 Strasbourg, she personally accompanied the Mack family 'for 3 years' before managing the study on their project — raising questions about the process's impartiality
- The study's tender specifications aimed, in its own terms, to 'facilitate the prospect of the Europa Valley project's realization'
- ADIRA refused to release the EY/Arcadis/Ceresco work products despite 100% public funding
Moritz Feninger
Mack One France
Mack family's lobbyist to French elected officials
Positions held
- - Executive Director at Mack One France SAS (Plobsheim)
- - Former personal assistant to Roland Mack
- - In charge of lobbying French elected officials and administrations
Questions raised
- According to the DNA newspaper, he is 'in charge of lobbying elected officials' locally on behalf of the Mack family
- Revealed to the DNA the early contacts with the French embassy and the cable car concept presented to Macron: 'Even before Michael Mack was appointed Honorary Consul, we were in discussions with the Ambassador'
Stephane Schaal
Mayor of Limersheim, 3CE president
Organizer of the confidential meeting of July 7, 2025
Positions held
- - President of the Communaute de Communes du Canton d'Erstein (3CE) — 28 municipalities, ~48,000 inhabitants — re-elected on April 8, 2026 by the renewed community council
- - Mayor of Limersheim since 2020, re-elected in March 2026
Questions raised
- According to Rue89 Strasbourg, he organized a confidential meeting with the private project developer without prior public consultation of his inter-municipal councils
- Still according to Rue89, he allegedly told participants to keep it secret: 'Everyone must keep the secret (...) this matter must not become an issue for the municipal elections'
- The 3CE he chairs co-funded the study (10,000 euros) and participated in project progress meetings
- Brigitte Neiter (mayor of Diebolsheim) publicly supported his reappointment as 3CE president (DNA, Feb. 2026) — reappointment confirmed on April 8, 2026
Catherine Graef-Eckert
Mayor of Lingolsheim
Dual CEA and ADIRA roles
Positions held
- - 4th Vice-President of the CEA — delegated for economy, tourism, agriculture, employment, energy transition
- - Vice-President of ADIRA (since December 2023)
- - Mayor of Lingolsheim
Questions raised
- Dual CEA/ADIRA roles: VP of the CEA in charge of tourism and economy + VP of ADIRA (study operator and interface with Mack One) — a situation that raises questions about separation between political decision-making and operational execution
- Her CEA delegations cover the entirety of Europa Valley's thematic scope (economy, tourism, agriculture, employment)
- To our knowledge, no public statement on Europa Valley despite directly relevant delegations
Brigitte Neiter
Mayor of Diebolsheim
Mayor of Diebolsheim, host municipality for the project
Positions held
- - Mayor of Diebolsheim since 2014, re-elected in 2020 (~675 inhabitants)
- - Candidate for a 3rd term in 2026, list 'Ensemble pour le bien vivre a Diebolsheim' (sole list)
- - Member of the CC du Canton d'Erstein (3CE)
Questions raised
- Diebolsheim lies directly within the project's land footprint, yet no public municipal deliberation on the subject has been identified
- According to Rue89 Strasbourg, she attended the confidential meeting of July 7, 2025, during which it was allegedly agreed to 'facilitate Mack One's plans'
- She allegedly described the project as 'a fascinating project of great symbolic value' in December 2018 (source: Badische Zeitung)
- Publicly supports President Schaal for the 3CE (DNA, Feb. 2026): 'I am very happy with our president, Stephane Schaal. If he runs again for this position, I will support him 100%'
- No mention of Europa Valley in her 2026 municipal campaign, despite the project being located on her municipality
Opposition
Elected officials, associations and citizen groups opposing the project.
Florian Kobryn
LFI (left-wing) — ~36 years old
Main opposition elected official at the CEA on this issue
Positions held
- - Alsace Councillor (CEA) since June 2021, canton of Strasbourg-1
- - LFI lead candidate for the 2026 municipal elections in Strasbourg
- - Employee at TNS (set construction)
'A genuine backroom deal organized between the Mack family and certain local elected officials maneuvering behind the population's back.'
Frederic Pfliegersdoerffer
Mayor of Marckolsheim since 2008
Mayor opposed to the project, presented with a fait accompli
Positions held
- - Mayor of Marckolsheim (~4,300 inhabitants), 4th term (re-elected in March 2026)
- - President of the CC du Ried de Marckolsheim — reappointed in April 2026 by the renewed community council (2026-2032 term)
'Everyone agreed that the (2023) report was clearly a rejection of the Europa Valley project.'
Le Chaudron des Alternatives
Citizen collective, main organized opposition
Collective leading the opposition since 2020
Positions held
- - Launched the petition (5,582 signatures)
- - Organizer of the 'Europa Valley & MackNext' campaign
- - Author of multiple publications and flyers
Our methodology
Public sources
Press, official registers, HATVP, company directories, council minutes.
Systematic attribution
Every claim is linked to its source. Conditional language is used when a fact is not fully established.
No criminal accusations
Factual observations and legitimate questions within the scope of public interest debate.