Overview
- The institute’s board elected Legendre at the government’s suggestion, with sources citing unanimous support, and she is the first woman to hold the post.
- Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot ordered a financial audit and proposed an age cap of 64 for the presidency, term limits, and an ethics committee to oversee pay.
- Her selection follows Jack Lang’s abrupt resignation earlier this month after renewed scrutiny of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Police searched the institute’s Paris headquarters on Monday as part of the investigation linked to Lang’s connections with Epstein.
- Legendre, 46, is a career diplomat who advises President Emmanuel Macron on North Africa and the Middle East, previously served as consul general in New York, held a posting in Kuwait, and helped coordinate France’s 2025 move to recognize Palestinian statehood.