French judges have quizzed Emmanuel Macron’s three closest Elysée aides concerning the ongoing scandal involving the presidency’s former bodyguard.

The latest setback for the French president came amid an exodus of advisors from the Elysée.

Some 17 of his 53 aides have left the palace this week amid reports several were suffering from “exhaustion” or faced legal woes themselves. The president, they say cuts an increasingly lonely figure and while he may be good at striking a Napoleonic pose, is hopeless at human resources.

The judges summoned Alexis Kohler, secretary general of the Elysée and Mr Macron right-hand man, as a “witness” along with Patrick Strzoda, his principal private secretary and François-Xavier Lauch, his chef de cabinet, a civil party.

The questioning came two days after Paris prosecutors launched a probe into alleged false testimony in the case of Alexandre Benalla, Mr Macron’s ex-security officer who was filmed beating protesters at last year's May Day rally. The video went viral online.