Elected to the European Parliament, the former boss of Frontex Fabrice Leggeri appears to be a legitimate candidate for the post of Minister of the Interior in the event of the party’s victory in the legislative elections. The name of the party’s vice-president, Sébastien Chenu, can also be cited.
While the National Rally (RN) is currently leading the polls ahead of the early legislative elections on June 30 and July 7, the question of the composition of a hypothetical Jordan Bardella government arises. In the event of the party’s victory in the legislative vote and the formation of an RN government, the appointment of MEP Fabrice Leggeri as Minister of the Interior could arise. Even if no name has yet been leaked to take up the position of First Cop of France, that of the ex-boss of Frontex could well arrive on the table.
A 55-year-old senior civil servant, Fabrice Leggeri studied at the ENA and ENS. He then joined the Ministry of the Interior in 1996, then became head of Frontex,‘European Border and Coast Guard Agency, in 2015, particularly “in the cross-border traffic, borders and visas section” explains Marianne. An appointment “on the proposal of the socialist Minister of the Interior (at the time) Bernard Cazeneuve” reveals Mediapart. A position he held until his resignation in 2022.
Fabrice Leggeri targeted by several procedures
A disciplinary investigation by Olaf, the European Anti-Fraud Office, notably forced him to resign from Frontex. A report then accused him of “not having respected procedures and of having demonstrated disloyalty towards the European Union”. After his resignation, Olaf would have investigated “possible faults and/or irregularities in the operation and internal management committed” by the director or “by other members of the company’s staff”. Olaf also asked Frontex to “initiate appropriate disciplinary procedures” because of “behavior and its actions towards three members of the agency, including the former deputy executive director”. Still according to this same report, Fabrice Leggeri would have had, between 2017 and 2021, “a management style based on excessive micro-management and centralization of the decision-making process, as well as on distrust of staff”. It would have had a “negative impact” on the working atmosphere and the “well-being” of the staff.
And the least we can say is that Fabrice Leggeri had received unwavering support from the boss of the RN, Marine Le Pen, particularly in the case of complicity in crimes against humanity and complicity of crime of torture, accusing Fabrice Leggeri of having participated in the pushback of migrant boats by the Greek authorities towards Turkey but also in the interceptions of migrants trying to reach Italy by the Libyan coast guard. Marine Le Pen had given her support to Fabrice Leggeri on .
Sébastien Chenu, an RN tenor in the discussion?
A position of Minister of the Interior which could also be entrusted to a tenor of the party, Sébastien Chenu. Vice-president of the National Rally since 2022 and vice-president of the National Assembly from 2022 to June 9, 2024, until the dissolution by Emmanuel Macron, the 51-year-old has extensive experience in politics and the confidence of Marine Le Pen. A ministry could be entrusted to him, why not that of the Interior, or even the presidency of the National Assembly. According to information from BFMTV, he could well hope for promotion in the ranks of the RN.
Vice-president of the Beauvais agglomeration community, deputy mayor of Beauvais then regional councilor of Hauts-de-France, Sébastien Chenu, after many years in the ranks of the UMP, joined the National Front in 2014 and became French deputy under the RN banner in 2017. Regarding a possible ministerial post if the National Rally were to win in the next legislative elections, the main interested party prefers to play the pragmatism card: “Marine Le Pen will prepare to become President of the Republic” during the next two years. “I will be what Marine Le Pen wants” he clarified.
On June 13, the LR president at the initiative of the Rally of the Rights and a rapprochement with the RN, Eric Ciotti, affirmed that if Jordan Bardella was elected as “Prime Minister, LR elected officials will be in government”. Much criticized, the boss of the French right also indicated that the post of Minister of the Interior had not been promised to him. The latter will also have to face an open investigation for “misappropriation of public funds” aimed at his 2022 legislative campaign, indicated this Monday, June 17 Le Figaro. An investigation opened on May 31, after a report from the local representative in the Alpes-Maritimes of the anti-corruption association Anticor.