François-Georges Leclerc Named New Prefect of Île-de-France and Paris
The Macron chief of staff, with extensive prefect experience, replaces Marc Guillaume amid Élysée tensions and retains Andorra role temporarily. Frédéric Rose poised to succeed him at the Palace.
Key Points
- François-Georges Leclerc, Macron's chief of staff, appointed new prefect of Île-de-France and Paris, replacing Marc Guillaume.
- Leclerc has extensive prefect experience in multiple French departments and retains Andorra role temporarily.
- Appointment approved by Council of Ministers on May 27, 2026, amid Élysée Palace tensions.
- Frédéric Rose, Yvelines prefect, set to succeed Leclerc as chief of staff.
François-Georges Leclerc, chief of staff to French President Emmanuel Macron and current personal representative of the French co-prince in Andorra, has been named the new prefect of the Île-de-France region and prefect of Paris. The French Council of Ministers approved the appointment during its meeting on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, succeeding Marc Guillaume, who moved to the vice-presidency of the Council of State earlier this month.
Leclerc, nearing 60 and originally from Suresnes, brings extensive experience from Sciences Po Paris and the École nationale d'administration. His career includes high-level roles at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, followed by prefect positions in departments such as Aube, Haute-Savoie, Alpes-Maritimes, Seine-Saint-Denis, Nord, and Bouches-du-Rhône. Officials describe him as a strong executive with a firm temperament, skilled in handling security, public order, social cohesion, housing, and urban planning challenges—priorities for the Paris region.
French media reports suggest the move stems from internal tensions at the Élysée Palace, including friction with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, however, praised Leclerc as an outstanding territorial manager. Leclerc assumed the chief of staff role in November 2025.
For now, Leclerc retains his responsibilities as the French co-prince's representative in Andorra on an interim basis. He will manage both positions until decrees appear in Andorra's Official Bulletin (BOPA) and France's official gazette, confirming his departure and that of his successor.
Frédéric Rose, prefect of the Yvelines department, is set to replace him as Macron's chief of staff and Andorra representative. Rose matches Paris's preferred profile for Principality relations, with a background in multiple prefecture chief of staff roles. No decree for Rose has been finalized, though the process appears routine absent surprises.
The shift occurs amid Andorra's push for an EU association agreement.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: