French PM Lecornu orders random drug tests for cabinet staff and high officials

Scope and immediate rollout

In a circular dated Tuesday 16 June and received by ministers on Wednesday 17 June, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu instructs every government member to organise "unannounced and mandatory screenings, in the form of saliva tests" for their cabinet teams as well as for holders of "jobs at the government's decision". The measure extends to agents with access to sensitive information or security clearance, particularly in defence and security fields. A similar test was already conducted in the Prime Minister's own cabinet about two weeks ago.

Security justification

Lecornu's directive argues that drug use by public officials creates a personal vulnerability that can be exploited by pressure groups, criminal networks or foreign interference. The circular states bluntly that even occasional private consumption poses a risk beyond the individual's health.

The consumption of narcotics by public agents, even on an occasional basis in a private setting, constitutes, beyond their own endangerment and the impact on the service, a personal vulnerability likely to be exploited by pressure groups, criminal networks or interference maneuvers.

The Prime Minister's entourage further frames the policy as a matter of consistency.

The State cannot pursue a clear policy against drug trafficking and its consequences in society without imposing the same requirements on itself.

Testing process and consequences

Saliva tests are to be conducted without warning and refusal to submit carries the same weight as a positive result. Ministers are told to draw "consequences, including on a disciplinary level" for any confirmed drug use. At the same time, the circular requires that individuals who test positive be systematically directed towards care structures, and every ministry must deploy a prevention plan alongside addiction consultations.

Next steps and broader context

The directive asks each ministry to define which job categories should be subject to regular screening and to submit an action plan to the Prime Minister before 26 June. The move follows heightened public debate in France around drug use among elected officials, triggered notably after a deputy from La France Insoumise was caught buying narcotics in 2024.

The measure places the executive branch under the same scrutiny it expects from other sectors, aiming for "an exigency of exemplarity and security proportionate to the responsibilities exercised".