Macron aides quit as judges examine bodyguard scandal

FRENCH judges yesterday questioned Emmanuel Macron’s three closest Elysée aides over the scandal involving the presidency’s former bodyguard.

The latest setback for the French president came amid an exodus of advisers from the Elysée. At least 17 of his 53 aides have left this week, reportedly suffering “exhaustion” or facing legal woes themselves.

Mr Macron is said to cut an increasingly lonely figure and while he may be good at striking a Napoleonic pose, he appears hopeless at human resources.

Judges summoned Alexis Kohler, secretary general of the Elysée and Mr Macron’s right-hand man, as a “witness” along with Patrick Strzoda, his principal private secretary and François-xavier Lauch, his chef de cabinet.

The questioning came two days after Paris prosecutors launched a probe into alleged false testimony in the case of Alexandre Benalla, Mr Macron’s exsecurity officer who was filmed beating protesters at last year’s May Day rally. Video of the incident went viral online.

Yesterday’s summons came after a senatorial commission found “major flaws” in the government’s handling of the Benalla affair and said it suspected Mr Macron’s aides of trying to cover up some of the details.

After a harrowing few months in the face of “yellow vest” protests, Mr Macron is said to be exhausted, looking haggard without his make-up.

Given the staff haemorrhage, he has lost the support of most of his original inner circle of loyalists who helped sweep him to power, dubbed the Mormons. Among those who have thrown in the towel is Ismaël Emilien, 32, the political strategist said to have played a crucial role in Mr Macron’s 2017 election campaign.

Officially, he stepped down to publicise a book on political progressivism along with David Amiel, 26, the deputy chief of staff, who has also left. Critics say he had become a liability for spreading fake news, which he denies.

Sylvain Fort, 47, Mr Macron’s speechwriter, also quit, officially for family reasons. Others say he failed in his job to improve frosty relations between Mr Macron and the press.

Some accuse the workaholic president of being a slave driver prone to sending text messages at 2am.

“Everyone’s knackered,” one former adviser told Francetvinfo.