Spymaster | France
Nicolas Lerner marks prolific first year atop DGSE

The Intelligence Gazette
DGSE construction staff screened, New UK Special Boat Service Association boss, Death penalty for China propaganda official, Le Cercle meets in Bucharest

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

FranceMass screening of construction staff working on DGSE new building

United KingdomFormer national security adviser Mark Sedwill buoys up Special Boat Service Association

ChinaDeath penalty for propaganda traitor

Europe/United StatesHighly secretive club Le Cercle convenes in Bucharest

France
Completion of new DGSE headquarters recedes ever further into the future

The date for installation of France's external intelligence service, the DGSE, in its new headquarters in Vincennes on the eastern edge of Paris keeps being put back. Initially programmed for 2028, it is not now expected to take place until 2031, at the earliest.

France
DGSE gets its marching orders on gender equality

A decree published on 15 November makes changes in civil service legislation applicable to the French external intelligence service, the DGSE. The service now needs to draw up a plan to ensure that the men and women it employs get equal professional treatment.

France, Iran, Israel
French intelligence missions hone in on Tehran

Two of the DGSE's new mission centres have turned their focus to Iran, following Tehran's public support of Hamas and greater involvement in the Middle East since the current crisis.

Spotlight | France
DGSE reform: The DR is dead, long live the DR !

The reform of France's external intelligence service, the DGSE, which was published on 16 July, looks to have signed the death warrant of its intelligence department, Direction du Renseignement (DR). Former DR executives remain as influential as ever, however, in the new structure.