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Leader

During one of your first meetings with the Sometimes there was tension and disorderly Having been Principle Private Secretary
Police Department, you stated “the police is behaviour. to the President of the National Assembly,
a little in my DNA – in my values and what Bernard Accoyer, does that help you in
I think is right.” Why? You are an alumni of the ENA, from the your relationships with ministers? Are you
I worked for 40 years with the French national famous Voltaire Class of 1980 and your familiar with the inner workings and power
and local police forces, two institutions I have classmates were the likes of François ratios of parliamentary assemblies?
a lot of respect for. They do a very difficult job, Hollande, Ségolène Royal, Dominique de The experience I acquired at that time has
devoted to the cause of the public. Whatever Villepin and Jean-Pierre Jouyet, who has been very useful to me. I met many French
their size, all these great, democratic nations just published his memoirs. What memories politicians, both men and women. It allowed
from the United States to Monaco need do you have of that time? me to understand how good relationships
satisfactory security. There is no freedom Very good memories, although we only spent should work between an executive office and
without security. For an orderly society, the a year and a half together at the grande école. a legal office. This was not easy in France,
protection of possessions and people, we I knew Dominique de Villepin and François including amongst the majority party. Life is
need an efficient police force. I have found Hollande at the Paris Institute of Political not always like the so-called long, quiet river.
that same culture here. Studies (public service specialism). Even The President of the National Assembly had
though we would be graded when we left to intervene to ensure the smooth-running
Have you ever had to manage a terrorist the ENA, there was a good atmosphere. The of the relationship between the majority
attack during your career? people in my year didn’t take themselves so and the government, as well as between
No, not directly. In January 2015 at the time seriously back then. We had a party just before the opposition and the government. Bernard
of the attack at Charlie Hebdo, I was Prefect the grades came out and made a fake TV Accoyer approved of this, even if he was not
of the Champagne-Ardennes and Marne programme. Friendships were formed during in agreement with the opposition groups.
region. We were called upon because one of military service – I did mine with François In France, arguments occur during the
the terrorists was from Reims. There may not Hollande in the army, whilst Dominique de Wednesday afternoon government question
have been any acts of terrorism committed in Villepin was in the navy. I met friends to whom time but the majority of the time there is
the areas I was working in but I did suffer the I am very close. dialogue and negotiation.
consequences of attacks. I reinforced security
measures to prevent terrorism, notably when You may know Jean-Paul Proust and Paul In Monaco, does the Joint Monitoring
I was working in Bordeaux with the closure Masseron, former State Minister and Interior Committee for Covid-19 cover this dialogue?
of the borders after the Bataclan attack, in Minister, respectively? The committee meets very regularly. It is a
collaboration with our Spanish counterparts. Yes. Jean-Paul Proust was a fine prefect, a very useful discussion and dialogue tool.
role model for us young ones at the time. He We make progress and we sometimes have
At the time of the Charlie Hebdo attack, there was someone who had a lot of good sense and different points of view as we all put our heads
was a march in Monaco to show solidarity, intelligence about situations – a heightened together and it is for the Prince to make the
with signs declaring “Je suis Charlie”. sense of what common interest means. final decision.
Former State Minister, Michel Roger, was He had great experience, able to analyse
there. Did that attack affect you? problems well and to ease difficulties. He What do you consider makes a good leader?
January 2015 was the first and only time in was a man of authority, not polemic. I also A leader who motivates a team, sharing good
my life that I have joined a demonstration. I liked Paul Masseron. values that are linked to the common good,
wasn’t holding a sign but I was right there. I as well as a sense of public service, guiding
was at the front of the crowd with the Mayor of When Jean-Paul Proust was State Minister, the team towards the right strategy. How do
Reims, who was president of that metropolitan he often slammed his fist on the table in the you motivate people? You need to know how
area. We marched through Reims in silence. name of the common good. The media has to analyse a situation along with your staff
It was a moving moment, expressing the pain also described you as a man with an iron and not to keep things to yourself. You must
of the atrocities but it was also a moment of fist. Is this true? listen to others and, after making the correct
togetherness. I did read that about myself [he smiles]. I decision, put it into practice collectively. A
don’t know if that is the case. Being Prefect good leader is someone who rallies and unites,
Did you never join a demonstration in your and State Minister are two different jobs. I not someone divisive – divide and conquer
youth? make sure that the instructions that are given does not work here!
No, never. It’s not my thing. However, I have are carried out. They may take some time to
hosted many delegations of people who were be carried out and they might be difficult to In your previous job as Prefect of the
demonstrating outside my police headquarters carry out but they will be carried out and, if PACA Region, you had to manage the first
[he smiles]. I have also managed many necessary, I turn up the heat. lockdown in Marseille. There were a lot of
marches by students, workers and farmers. unknowns: it was not known how the virus

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