Is the abolition of the diplomatic corps a new sign of France's decline?

Nicolas Beytout 7:58 am, November 12, 2021

The process of removing the ENA, which had been announced by Emmanuel Macron, took a new step this week.

Yes, with the examination of a decree which will create in the workforce of the public service a new body, that of state administrators. Well, put it like that, it seems quite technical, but the reality is that this new entity will bring together a good part of the highest leaders of the French administration, those who are currently members of the famous large bodies of the State: prefects, diplomats, magistrates of the Court of Auditors, inspectors general, and so on. Nearly 6,000 senior executives, as one would say in the private sector, which will be classified under the same status. And therefore lose, gradually, their belonging to their original body. This is the other side of the abolition of the ENA, we also abolish the distinctive signs of belonging to a certain elite, that of the prefects for example,senior state councilors or diplomats.

The government promises that this new enlarged body of state administrators will be less closed than the large bodies.

What is most often reproached with today's large bodies is the inter-self and the fact, when you enter it, of being assured of having a clear professional history, sheltered from professional hazards or changes in the profession. A few months ago, in front of hundreds of senior officials, Emmanuel Macron had argued that the ENA and its exit ranking, "sealed fates at 25, for better and sometimes for worse". There it is, the mistrust. To be a member of a great body is to have a planned career, it is to be protected. It is above all to wear the distinctive signs of belonging to an elite. Which is obviously unbearable in these times of light populism. So we remove them, all these external signs of influence. The prefects,members of the Council of State or of the Finance Inspectorate will still exist, but their recruitment will no longer be the same. Diplomats, too, will lose part of what makes their community, their collective history. And it is difficult not to see in this disappearance a manifestation of the decline in the ambitions of French diplomacy in the world.

However, there will always be embassies, with ambassadors and diplomats, both at the ministry (at the Quai d'Orsay), or stationed abroad.

This is true, but a part of who they are will gradually fade as their bodies dilute. First of all, an embassy is a place of representation which must reflect the image of France. It must reflect the prestige, the power of our country and those who occupy it to be at this level of requirement. French diplomacy is not a set of executives superimposed on a group of high potentials who are taught the basics of international relations, the history of civilizations and contemporary conflicts. It is not the same knowledge as to be inspector general of national education, or prefect. The skills are not the same, the characters are not the same. Doing away with this kind of big body means doing away with a sector of excellence. And what is worrying,it is because all this is happening when the heyday of French diplomacy is already disappearing. The budget of the embassies is miserable, and the strike power of our representatives abroad has gradually weakened in recent years. The most striking example of this sad reality can be found in Brussels, where the French representation is now overtaken by German diplomacy. Our presence in the mysteries of the European Community has taken a back seat. Our influence is losing. And it is not with something like this new body of state administrators that the trend will be reversed.and the strike power of our representatives abroad has gradually weakened in recent years. The most striking example of this sad reality can be found in Brussels, where the French representation is now overtaken by German diplomacy. Our presence in the mysteries of the European Community has taken a back seat. Our influence is losing. And it is not with something like this new body of state administrators that the trend will be reversed.and the strike power of our representatives abroad has gradually weakened in recent years. The most striking example of this sad reality can be found in Brussels, where the French representation is now overtaken by German diplomacy. Our presence in the mysteries of the European Community has taken a back seat. Our influence is losing. And it is not with something like this new body of state administrators that the trend will be reversed.And it is not with something like this new body of state administrators that the trend will be reversed.And it is not with something like this new body of state administrators that the trend will be reversed.