controversy surrounding the RN’s proposal to ban “sensitive jobs” for dual nationals

The measure, already carried then abandoned by Marine Le Pen, was clarified by Jordan Bardella, during his programmatic presentation on Monday.

Barely proposed, already (very) criticized. The National Rally wishes “to prevent“people with dual nationality to occupy”extremely sensitive jobs” announced Jordan Bardella, Monday June 24, referring to “the most strategic positions of the State“.

The leader of the RN for the legislative elections had indicated, during his programmatic press conference, “that the most strategic positions in the State will be reserved for French citizens and French nationals“, excluding dual nationals.”We do not intend to call into question dual nationality (…). On the other hand, we actually intend to reserve a certain number of strategic jobs in sectors particularly linked to security and defense exclusively for French citizens.“.

However, this principle of binationality was a proposal from Marine Le Pen in 2022, which she ultimately abandoned. Today, the RN is therefore recycling its idea: Jordan Bardella imagines banning the most strategic positions of the State to French people who also have another nationality. Anyone who aspires to become Prime Minister, however, does not see why this proposal offends some: “I don’t see the difficulty posed by the ban on dual nationals. Today, can we imagine Franco-Russians working in the Ministry of the Armed Forces? Today there are contract positions, in the strategic sectors of Defense or security where French interests are directly under debate, which can be binational. It concerns a minority of people. The idea is to protect French interests, to avoid attempts at interference“, clarified Jordan Bardella.

This ban measure will cover “extremely sensitive jobs, for example people who are dual Russian nationals to occupy strategic management positions in defense“, clarified MP Sébastien Chenu on TF1, without giving further details on the type of jobs concerned, but specifying however that the list will be defined”by decree“.

The finalist of the presidential election Marine Le Pen stressed in the evening on the social network “double nationals“could”occupy ALL public sector jobs, of course”. “The restriction would only concern a few dozen very sensitive jobs in strategic positions in defense, nuclear or intelligence, for example. This short list would be reviewed very regularly depending on geopolitical news and its consequences for our country.s,” she wrote.

This proposal, which touches on the sensitive subject of nationality, irritates the left: elected officials denounce a proposal “racist“and a factory of”sub-citizen“, replies in particular from the socialist Boris Vallaud. “In the Republic, it is the excellence of a career that allows one to become a senior civil servant, not the “purity” of a family tree“, he replied.

Today, a binational French person has all the rights and obligations attached to French nationality. Currently, dual nationality does not prevent access to public service jobs. Certain professions, called “sovereignty” because they are linked to the sovereign functions of the State (defense, budget, security, diplomacy), are reserved for French people, whether or not they theoretically hold a second nationality.

The decision to classify a position as a sovereign position is left to the discretion of the employer, most often a ministry. For the rest, European nationals can take competitive exams and become civil servants. Non-European foreigners can also be recruited into the civil service, but only as contract workers, a less protective status than that of civil servant.