Editing Le Cercle (section)

==Later Years and Scandals==
Le Cercle’s influence peaked in the 1970s and 1980s but faced increased scrutiny in later decades:

	•	1980s Exposure:
	◦	The group was first mentioned in the 1975 Time Out magazine, referencing the “Pinay Committee” based on leaked documents from the Institute for the Study of Conflict. In the 1980s, Der Spiegel reported on Le Cercle due to controversies involving Franz Josef Strauss, a regular attendee.
	◦	The Langemann Papers further exposed the group’s election-influencing activities, confirming its role as a “coalition of right-wing intelligence veterans” promoting conservative politicians.

	•	1990s Scandal:
	◦	In the late 1990s, Le Cercle gained attention after a scandal involving Jonathan Aitken, then chairman, who was implicated in arms deals and perjury, leading to his resignation from Parliament. This brought rare public attention to the group.

	•	2000s and Beyond:
	◦	In June 2004, Le Cercle met in Belgrade’s Royal Palace, hosted by Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia.
	◦	British MPs Rory Stewart and Nadhim Zahawi, who chaired Le Cercle in the 2010s while serving on the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee, faced questions about their involvement, with both denying knowledge of the group’s funding sources.
	◦	By 2019, Václav Klaus posted photos from a 2016 Washington, D.C., meeting, indicating continued activity. The group reportedly met biannually, with about 70 guests, though membership remained less fluid than Bilderberg’s.