French president’s diplomatic troubles deepen as top adviser on verge of resigning

Politico has published an article detailing the growing turmoil within French President Emmanuel Macron's administration. Caliber.Az offers its readers a slightly modified version of the article, shedding light on the internal struggles that have intensified in recent months.

Emmanuel Bonne, French President Emmanuel Macron's chief diplomatic adviser, created uncertainty within the president’s inner circle last week by announcing his intention to resign. Bonne, a pivotal figure in France’s diplomatic sphere who has often functioned as a de facto foreign minister, informed Macron of his decision on January 10, according to two sources close to the president.

Bonne’s resignation, initially reported by the La Lettre newsletter and later confirmed by Politico, comes amid escalating tensions with another senior aide and significant disagreements over policy within Macron’s administration. As of early January 13 evening, Bonne’s resignation had not yet been formally accepted.

Should he leave, Macron would lose one of his most trusted foreign policy advisers at a crucial moment, as the president faces a global landscape marked by instability, particularly with Donald Trump set to be inaugurated as US president next week.

“It’s a mess,” said one former French diplomat. “The domestic political situation, the impossible budget talks, the future relation[ships] with Trump and Algeria, France’s waning influence in Europe and Africa …. We are going to have to work hard to bounce back.”

It has been widely known in Paris that Bonne had been seeking a new position after five years working closely with Macron. However, it seems that his departure was prompted by growing tension with General Fabien Mandon, the president’s chief military adviser, who was appointed less than two years ago. Mandon has reportedly been encroaching on Bonne’s domain, leading to intense competition between the two.

“There’s been a ferocious competition between the two for a long time now,” said the other, noting differences in attitudes but also “possibly on issues of substance.”

This rivalry came to a head last week ahead of Macron’s meeting with British leader Keir Starmer at Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence. According to one source, Bonne and Mandon had a heated argument just before they were scheduled to depart for the UK on January 9 afternoon. Bonne subsequently decided to skip the trip.

When asked about Bonne’s resignation on January 12, an Élysée official commented: “Emmanuel Bonne enjoys the trust of the president of the Republic and will leave his post when he wishes to.”

Beyond conflicts with fellow cabinet members, Bonne has also differed from Macron on foreign policy issues. For example, Macron’s decision last year to back Morocco in its long-standing dispute with Algeria over Western Sahara clashed with Bonne’s preference for a more neutral stance, consistent with traditional French diplomatic policy.

Tensions over Algerian policy have taken a toll on Bonne, according to two sources. The dispute escalated last week when French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau accused Algiers of attempting to “humiliate” France in a dispute over social media influencers. On January 13, French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin also weighed in, calling for the end of visa-free entry to France for Algerian officials.