Log4net keeps trying to use my app.config instead of the specified file

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C#6.0

I have been having this issue for some time now. When I start my console app, log4net keeps throwing the same error several times. I have tried numerous ways to get around the issue but it always occurs.

The code:

public class Announcer
{
    private static readonly ILog _log = LogManager.GetLogger(MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod().DeclaringType);

    static void Main()
    {
        _ = XmlConfigurator.Configure(LogManager.GetRepository(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly()), new FileInfo("log4net.config"));
        _ = Log4NetUtility.SetLoggingLevel(DefaultLoggingLevel, LogManager.GetRepository());
    ...
    }
}

The app config file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <startup>
    <supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.7.2" />
  </startup>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="log4net.Internal.Debug" value="false" />
    <add key="ClientSettingsProvider.ServiceUri" value="" />
  </appSettings>
  <system.web>
    <membership defaultProvider="ClientAuthenticationMembershipProvider">
      <providers>
        <add name="ClientAuthenticationMembershipProvider" type="System.Web.ClientServices.Providers.ClientFormsAuthenticationMembershipProvider, System.Web.Extensions, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" serviceUri="" />
      </providers>
    </membership>
    <roleManager defaultProvider="ClientRoleProvider" enabled="true">
      <providers>
        <add name="ClientRoleProvider" type="System.Web.ClientServices.Providers.ClientRoleProvider, System.Web.Extensions, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" serviceUri="" cacheTimeout="86400" />
      </providers>
    </roleManager>
  </system.web>
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-12.0.0.0" newVersion="12.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>
</configuration>

The config file ("log4net.config"):

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8" ?>
<!-- Log4net Logging Setup -->
  <log4net update="Overwrite">
    <appender name="console" type="log4net.Appender.ColoredConsoleAppender">
      <mapping>
        <level value="ERROR" />
        <foreColor value="White" />
        <backColor value="Red" />
      </mapping>
      <mapping>
        <level value="INFO" />
        <foreColor value="Green" />
      </mapping>
      <mapping>
        <level value="DEBUG" />
        <backColor value="Cyan" />
      </mapping>
      <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
        <conversionPattern value="%-5level %-35logger{2} [%thread] %message%newline" />
      </layout>
      <filter type="log4net.Filter.LevelRangeFilter">
        <param name="LevelMin" value="DEBUG" />
      </filter>
    </appender>
    <appender name="logfile" type="log4net.Appender.RollingFileAppender">
      <file value="TestFiles\NewsAnnouncer.log" />
      <appendToFile value="true" />
      <rollingStyle value="Composite" />
      <datePattern value="yyyyMMdd" />
      <maxSizeRollBackups value="5" />
      <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
        <conversionPattern value="%date %-5level %-35logger{2} [%thread] %message%newline" />
      </layout>
      <filter type="log4net.Filter.LevelRangeFilter">
        <param name="LevelMin" value="DEBUG" />
      </filter>
    </appender>
    <appender name="DebugAppender" type="log4net.Appender.DebugAppender">
      <immediateFlush value="true" />
      <layout type="log4net.Layout.PatternLayout">
        <conversionPattern value="%-5level %-35logger{2} [%thread] %message%newline" />
      </layout>
    </appender>
    <root>
      <level value="INFO" />
      <appender-ref ref="console" />
      <appender-ref ref="logfile" />
    </root>
  </log4net>

The error (occurs as soon as the call to LogManager.GetRepository() is made):

log4net:ERROR Exception while reading ConfigurationSettings. Check your .config file is well formed XML.
System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Configuration system failed to initialize
 ---> System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Unrecognized configuration section system.web. (C:\Programming\NewsAnnouncer-System\NewsAnnouncer\NewsAnnouncer\bin\Debug\net6.0\NewsAnnouncer.dll.config line 10)
   at System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors.ThrowIfErrors(Boolean ignoreLocal)
   at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfParseErrors(ConfigurationSchemaErrors schemaErrors)
   at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.EnsureInit(String configKey)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.PrepareConfigSystem()
   at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection(String sectionName)
   at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.get_AppSettings()
   at log4net.Util.SystemInfo.GetAppSetting(String key)

Note: NewsAnnouncer is the application's assembly name, hence NewsAnnouncer.dll.config.
The odd thing is that log4net ends up properly using my log4net.config file. My logging messages are going where I want and are formatted as I want. But I keep getting that error message repeated 5 times every time the app starts.

What I have tried:

I have tried with and without

<configSections>
  <section name="log4net" type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler,log4net" />
</configSections>

as the first child of the <configuration> element in the app config.
I have looked at log4net's documentation, tried their examples, and searched for the problem on the net.
Most answers involve using the [assembly:...] attribute (which I tried to no avail), or including the log4net configuration directly in the app.config file. But these are not avenues that I wish to pursue: ultimately, I would like the location of the logfile to be configurable, which is why I chose this format that allows for setting the file location at runtime.
Does anyone see why I am getting the reported error?