The geographical position of a personality like the President of the Republic is a state secret. For security reasons, it is crucial that this information is not known to the general public, but in its latest investigation, called “StravaLeaks” the newspaper The World demonstrates that it is quite possible to track Emmanuel Macron, or at least his bodyguards.
In the first episode of this investigation (which should consist of 3), the French daily highlights the use of Strava, a social network widely used by athletes. The latter has found a place in millions of phones, even those of the bodyguards of the President of the Republic.
It is by using this application, free and available on the App Store or the Play Store, that a team of journalists managed to follow personalities like Emmanuel Macron, Joe Biden or even Vladimir Putin.
Bodyguards, not very discreet
To follow the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, the team of journalists was interested to GSPRthe Security Group for the Presidency of the Republic. They are the ones responsible for protecting and following the president during all these trips.
By following their accounts on Strava, it is possible to know their position, and therefore that of the president at the same time. In total, there are 12 members of the president’s inner circle who have active profiles on the Strava application, thus sharing their position with the whole world.
With this information, they are more than a hundred trips Presidents François Hollande and Emmanuel Macron who were followed by journalists between 2016 and 2024. If these visits, abroad or in the country, are known to the general public, other information, which should remain private, has been revealed during this investigation.
Very precise information
During an official visit by the head of state to a foreign country, the general public knows that the Élysée Palace is vacant. But the exact position of the head of state remains secret. But with “StravaLeaks”, Le Monde managed to get its hands on the exact position of the president during some of these trips.
This very critical data must never be revealed, so much so that in 2017, when the precise location of the president leaked to the press during a visit to Lille, the latter had to change hotels at the last moment. He will finally sleep in Roubaix.
During another state visit, this time to Lithuania, journalists from Le Monde managed, thanks to the Strava account of a member of the GSPR, to precisely locate the hotel of the President of the Republic, three days before his came. In total, 10 precise locations of the president were revealed by activities published on Strava.
The Élysée assures that the risks are “very low”
In a response made by e-mail to journalists from Le Monde, the Élysée ensures that “the consequences (…) are very weak”. In this same message, the Palace defends itself and assures that the president’s place of stay is always secure and “The risk is therefore completely non-existent. »
Le Monde also reveals that this information, in addition to jeopardizing the security of the president, directly endangers that of members of the GSPR and employees of the presidency, some of whom are active on Strava. To find out more on this subject, we can only encourage you to watch the complete survey by our colleagues from Le Monde, available below.
