Drug tests in French ministries: several dismissals

“Many say I did this to make an example,” Lecornu said. “That’s true. But I did it mostly for safety reasons.” Many of the employees subjected to drug checks had access to “extremely sensitive” information, the prime minister told the magazine.

In mid-June, Lecornu issued a circular instructing the government to carry out “unannounced and mandatory screening in the form of saliva tests”. The department heads should test “the members of your ministry as well as the holders of offices subordinate to the government” – i.e. high-ranking officials and “the staff subject to security clearance” – for drug use, French media quoted the letter as saying. “In the event of positive test results, you will examine the consequences to be drawn, including in disciplinary terms.”

The state should remain credible in the fight against drugs

In addition to protecting sensitive information at a high government level, another reason for government drug testing is that the state wants to remain credible in its fight against drug crime.

Like Lecornu too Paris Match said drug trafficking “represents the greatest domestic challenge our country is currently facing and will face in the coming years.” He spoke of almost a million consumers in France. “This affects all levels of society.” Politics is not spared from this either.

However, the state’s fight against drugs only remains credible if those who wage it are themselves above reproach. “You can’t condemn the murders of 16-year-olds in the suburbs and at the same time tolerate drug use in the fancy neighborhoods.”

Checks continue

That is why the drug controls in the government and ministries are not a one-off operation. “The testing is done on a random basis. It will continue. And I have no doubt that my successors may go even further.”

A few weeks ago, the drug testers arrived unannounced at the Hôtel de Matignon, the seat of government. A sigh of relief afterwards: The prime minister and his staff were clean, the broadcaster TF1 reported.