Secretary of State to Christophe Castaner, Laurent Nunez hoped to recover the post of Minister of the Interior during the reshuffle. But the former boss of internal intelligence rather file at the Elysee Palace to pilot anti-terrorist coordination. An appointment that comes before the announcement of the new State Secretaries.
It will take a little more patience before knowing the names of the future Secretaries of State. Emmanuel Macron will discuss this weekend with Jean Castex and at the latest, the list will be ready for the next cabinet meeting on Wednesday. But there is one who is already fixed on his new functions: it is Laurent Nunez, hitherto Secretary of State for the Interior. He imagined taking over from Christophe Castaner, but he was appointed to head the anti-terrorist coordination of the Elysée. Mickaël Darmon, sanction or promotion?
He is promoted but disappointed, a bit like what Richard Ferrand said to Éric Dupont-Moretti during his baptism of fire in the National Assembly: "here we suffer in silence". Well, this is exactly the fate of Laurent Nunez, who thought he was elevated to the rank of minister at least for good and loyal service.
It is true that the former boss of internal intelligence fulfilled the mission that the president of the Republic had given him at the time: come to the Ministry of the Interior to coach Christophe Castaner. And indeed, it can be said that he endured in silence, without letting the numerous disagreements with his minister responsible appear publicly.
Emmanuel Macron offered to head the special anti-terrorist cell at the Élysée and agreed that the new assignment for Laurent Nunez should be announced before the Secretaries of State were known. A sign of consideration for Laurent Nunez who will therefore take up residence with the Head of State.
His arrival at the head of the coordination of anti-terrorism kicks off another, more discreet reshuffle, at the heart of French intelligence, with the change of boss at the DGSE at a time when the challenges of the fight against jihadists in the Sahel where cyberwar are more and more are more and more crucial. While his opponents point out his shortcomings on sovereign subjects, Emmanuel Macron recalls with the appointment of Laurent Nunez that he is not only the head of the armies but also the boss of spies.