Nicolas Lerner Appointed Head of French Foreign Intelligence

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced today, Friday, the appointment of Nicolas Lerner, who previously served as Director General of the French Ministry of Interior, as the new head of the Directorate General for External Security, succeeding seasoned diplomat Bernard Émié. The timing of this change is notable, especially in light of Émié's recent involvement in efforts to ease tensions between Lebanon and Israel. Just a few weeks ago, Émié engaged in secret discussions during his visit to Beirut, where he met with Lebanese officials. Among his dialogues were conversations with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, representatives from Hezbollah, Army Commander Joseph Aoun, and acting Director of General Security Elias Bielsi. Émié's objective focused on mediating an agreement to limit the ongoing border skirmishes between Lebanon and Israel.