Far-Right French Party Seeks to Bar Dual Nationals from Strategic Government Positions

"Yes, I can confirm to you that the most strategic positions in the state will be reserved for French citizens and French nationals," Jordan Bardella responded when questioned about a statement by his deputy Sébastien Chenu, affirming that the RN wants to ban "sensitive jobs" for dual nationals. The RN president explains: "For a very simple reason, there are strategic positions related to the security or defense sectors which are by definition strategic sectors and reserving them for French citizens." "It is also one of the means among others to protect ourselves from attempts at interference that could be orchestrated by foreign states with regard to French interests," he added. A few minutes earlier, the far-right MEP had made a distinction between the French and dual nationals, assuring: "no right will be taken away from a single Frenchman, from a single Frenchwoman, and our political action will work in all circumstances to maintain existing rights."

Before the presentation by the RN president of his program at 11 a.m., the outgoing deputy from the North, Sébastien Chenu, his vice-president, announced this Monday morning that the far-right party intends to "prevent" people with dual nationality from holding "extremely sensitive jobs". According to the former elected official, this measure will be implemented through "an organic law and a decree to prevent interference". For Chenu, it is a question of "protecting" ourselves in "sensitive sectors". To support his argument, the RN vice-president cites the example of "Russian dual nationals" in "strategic management positions in defense". The former elected official will add: "What we judge is nationality: you are French or you are not French. When you are French, you have the same rights as any Frenchman, including when you have been French by naturalization in the past."

A candidate in the 2022 presidential election, Marine Le Pen had included in her program a proposal that could prevent foreigners and dual nationals from accessing certain jobs. "The law can prohibit access to jobs in administrations, public companies and legal entities entrusted with a public service mission to persons who hold the nationality of another State." For Chenu, "it will probably be less easy to be French" if the RN emerges victorious from the early legislative elections.