The Elysée launches an investigation into its diplomatic cell

The Elysée Palace, garden side, in Paris (illustrative image).

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The Elysee Palace announced on Friday that it had entrusted an independent cabinet with an audit of the functioning of its diplomatic unit, responsible for advising Emmanuel Macron on his foreign policy.

Testimonies speak of “difficulties” within this service.

This internal investigation was triggered in August when information was reported on "difficulties related to the workload and the sustained pace" in this service, said the Elysee, confirming information published this Friday by the weekly

and which had also been mentioned by the Intelligence Online site in September.

Sickness leaves and difficulties in recruiting

The independent audit firm submitted a provisional report to the Elysée's human resources department at the beginning of October, establishing a diagnosis of the situation.

Installed in a building near the Elysée Palace, the diplomatic unit brings together around ten experts, most of them career diplomats, who specialize in major international issues (Middle East, Africa, America, strategic issues, etc.).

It is headed by Emmanuel Bonne, appointed diplomatic adviser to Emmanuel Macron in 2019 following the departure of Philippe Etienne, who took up the post of ambassador in Washington.

In her article,

reports an "unprecedented situation" within the diplomatic unit, marked by "work stoppages, resignations, difficulties in recruiting" while her positions "are traditionally very popular".

Since the start of the five-year term, Emmanuel Macron has been very active on the diplomatic scene, notably with the recent initiatives he has taken on the issues of Lebanon, the Eastern Mediterranean, Belarus and Nagorno Karabakh.

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• Diplomacy

• Elysium

• Investigation