PARIS — Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic adviser, Philippe Etienne, is expected to take over as France’s ambassador to the United States as part of a reshuffle of top French diplomatic posts.
The Cabinet has not yet confirmed the nomination, but two French diplomatic officials say the decision has been “confirmed internally.” The foreign minister’s chief of staff, Emmanuel Bonne, is expected to succeed Etienne as Macron’s diplomatic adviser, according to a high-level diplomat, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of such nominations.
Macron left it late to pick a successor to the current ambassador to Washington, Gérard Araud, who is retiring at the end of this week. His replacement will manage one of France’s key relationships, at a time when Paris has a host of disagreements with the Trump administration — on transatlantic trade, climate change, the Iran nuclear deal and other issues.
Other key French diplomatic positions are also set to change hands by the end of the year. French ambassadors to the United Nations, Beijing and Moscow are either retiring or moving on after completing their rotations. So far none of the potential replacements are women, despite Macron’s stated goal of gender parity in senior public posts.
Etienne and the Elysée press office did not respond to a request for comment on whether he is in line for the post. The Cabinet may confirm the nominations this week.
“For a diplomat, discussing his wishes for future posts is as secret as discussing annual bonuses for a trader” — French diplomat
A former ambassador to Germany and to the EU, Etienne was appointed Macron’s diplomatic adviser at the start of his term and has counseled a leader who had little foreign policy experience when he took office two years ago. Etienne’s knowledge of EU affairs and his network in Berlin were seen as great assets in Macron’s drive to revamp the European Union.
But that drive has enjoyed decidedly mixed results — partly because Germany has not been as receptive as Macron had hoped to some of his ideas. And the diplomatic cell Etienne has led at the Elysée palace has not been universally admired by French diplomats. One described it as “weaker” and another as “less effective” than previous incarnations. While the cell hasn’t seen the same wave of recent departures as other parts of the president’s office, a shake-up is expected by the end of the year.
Etienne is a much lower-profile figure than Araud, who previously served as ambassador to the United Nations, and has attracted public attention due to his outspoken Twitter presence. On the night Donald Trump was elected, he tweeted that “a world is crumbling before our eyes.” He also got into a Twitter spat with late-night comedian Trevor Noah, who called the French national football team “African.”
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Gérard Araud, the current ambassador, is retiring this month | Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images
Etienne’s expected departure to Washington had diplomats jockeying to replace him at the Elysée, where Macron has centralized big foreign policy decisions. Two years into his five-year term, Macron retains an ambitious foreign policy agenda that includes further EU integration, tackling climate change and strengthening cooperation with African countries.
In addition to Bonne, François Delattre, France’s ambassador to the United Nations, was also in the running to head the Elysée’s diplomatic cell, according to three high-level diplomats. The scale tipped in Bonne’s favour over the past few days, according to one of the diplomats.
Bonne previously served as an adviser to Macron’s predecessor François Hollande, and later as ambassador to Lebanon. He first met Macron when they were both Elysée advisers. As chief of staff to Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, he has played a key role in overseeing the entire spectrum of French diplomacy, from migrant boat arrivals in Europe, to relations with the U.S. and negotiations with Russia over Syria.
Bernard Emié, the head of the DGSE foreign intelligence agency, had also been mentioned as a possible contender, though two officials said they doubt he would leave his current post after only two years.
When contacted by POLITICO, all three potential candidates either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment.
“For a diplomat, discussing his wishes for future posts is as secret as discussing annual bonuses for a trader,” said one French diplomat.