Leggeri had to leave Frontex in April 2022 following a series of accusations saying that the EU agency was involved in the mistreatment of migrants trying to reach Europe. 

In particular, Frontex was accused of supporting illegal pushbacks of migrants in the Aegean Sea trying to reach Greece after departing from Turkish shores.

The scandal, first discovered by German magazine Der Spiegel in collaboration with several other investigative news outlets, was considered a major backlash at the time for Frontex, which had to undergo a series of reforms and changes in response.

Also read: EU report reveals systematic cover-up by border agency

Leggeri now told the French weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche that he will join the party list of the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party for EU elections in June, stating his support for the RN's objective of "fighting the wave of migration" in Europe.

Leggeri announced his candidacy during a trip to Menton in the south of France, a town located on the Italian border, which witnesses a high number of irregular crossings. During the visit, he posted on X that Frontex needed to "rediscover its role as protector of Europe's coasts and borders."

"We are determined to combat migratory submersion, which the European Commission and eurocrats do not consider as a problem but rather as a project: I can testify to that," the 55-year-old also said during the trip.

Also read: Frontex hit by lawsuit amid further allegations over pushbacks

Projected far-right surge in EU Parliament

The RN party, headed by Jordan Bardella and previously by far-right populist Marine Le Pen, is projected to gain about a third of the votes in the upcoming EU elections according to research by the consultancy firm Portland Communications, based on a sample size of 1,034 people.

Leggeri will reportedly be the third name on the party list, giving him a near-guaranteed chance of entering the assembly.

Bardella welcomed Leggeri to RN, praising his dedication to protecting Europe's border and saying that in addition to that, Frontex' mission was to "protect … our civilization, as Fabrice Leggeri wanted to do."

Also read: Frontex forecasts new record of migrant arrivals

Corruption charges against Leggeri

Leggeri previously served as a high-level civil servant in France before assuming the role of head of Frontex in 2015. His appointment coincided with the peak of the so-called "refugee crisis," during which more than a million people -- mainly Syrian refugees -- reached Europe in less than 12 months.

Under Leggeri's leadership, the EU gave the agency additional funds to address this sudden influx in migratory movements.

However, in addition to the allegation of aiding and abetting pushbacks at sea, Frontex under Leggeri's leadership also stood accused of graft, which further accelerated his departure.

In 2023, Dutch civil servant Hans Leijtens was named as the next executive director of the EU agency, pledging to protect human rights in all of Frontex' dealings.

Also read: EU parliament refuses to discharge Frontex over 'grave irregularities'

with Reuters, AFP, dpa