Causette French magazine posted reports which assert that the Saudi crown prince asked the French authorities for the medal in order to invigorate his international role.

French President Francois Hollande granted secretly last Wednesday the order  of the Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France, to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Nayef, during the latter's visit to Paris, without announcing it in the presidential statements before press reported it two days later, which raised a wave of protests amid the political class and rights organizations in Paris.

Causette French magazine posted reports which assert that the Saudi crown prince asked the French authorities for the medal in order to invigorate his international role.

Bertrand Besancenot, the French ambassador to Riyadh, emailed Holland's aide for Middle East affairs, David Kafash, suggesting that France grants Bin Nayyef a medal of the legion of Honor despite the negative image of the latter in the French press in order to improve his international role.

The various French political have harshly criticized Holland's step, wondering if he asked Bin Nayef about the executions in KSA.

It is worth noting that the famous French actress, Sophie Marceau, rejected the same medal, considering that it no longer reflects the French values.