Macron’s former security aide to stand trial for ‘forgery’ over use of diplomatic passports

The dismissal of Alexandre Benalla in 2018 plunged the Macron presidency into crisis at the time

Credit: BERTRAND GUAY/AFP

Emmanuel Macron’s disgraced former security aide is to stand trial for continuing to use his diplomatic passports after he was sacked from the French presidential palace for beating a protester.

Alexandre Benalla is accused of allegedly illegally retaining the passports and using them to travel to Africa and Israel after his dismissal in July 2018.

He faces charges of forgery, concealment and “unlawful public use of documents justifying a professional status”.

Mr Benalla told French media in August 2018 that he had returned his diplomatic passports to the Elysée Palace but that they were handed back to him in October for unknown reasons.

The government gave a different account, however, saying that he was formally asked to surrender the passports on at least two occasions.

A video grab showing Mr Benalla wearing a police visor as he drags away a demonstrator during May 2018 protests

Credit: TAHAR BOUHAFS /AFP

The 30-year-old ascended to a senior post in the president’s office after serving as a bodyguard during his 2017 election campaign, but has since been a thorn in the French president’s side.

In 2018, he triggered a major political scandal after a video emerged showing him beating a protester while impersonating a police officer at a demonstration in Paris.

He is currently under investigation for that incident and faces a number of potential charges including assault, carrying an illegal weapon and interfering with public officials carrying out their duties.

He was fired amid the furore, which saw Mr Macron’s popularity slump to its lowest level since his election.

Parts of the French political class and media also questioned the Elysée’s role for its alleged concealment of the case from the public prosecutor.

Suspicions that Mr Benalla still maintained connections with Mr Macron were fuelled by a subsequent trip to Chad, where he met President Idriss Déby, just three weeks before a visit by the French leader.

Mr Benalla also travelled to Congo-Brazzaville and met President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

The Elysée was forced to deny any continuing links with Mr Benalla, saying: “He is not an official or unofficial envoy of the presidency.”

Mr Macron (C) rides a bicycle in the streets of Le Touquet accompanied by Elysee senior security officer Mr Benalla (L) in 2017

Credit: CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT /AFP

The decision to send this new passport case against Mr Benalla to trial comes at a delicate time for Mr Macron.

The president is facing rising public scepticism over his handling of the Covid crisis amid fears of civil disobedience should he impose a fresh nationwide lockdown.

Some 57 per cent of the French don’t trust the French president to get them out of the crisis, according to a Viavoice poll for Libération.

Mr Benalla is now facing five separate criminal investigations on top of the passport affair.

One is over his alleged illegal acquisition of official CCTV surveillance video of him beating the protester.

Another is about alleged financial ties during his tenure in the Elysée with two Russian oligarchs, including a businessman believed to have ties with the Russian mafia.

Mr Benalla denies any wrongdoing.