Paris (AFP)

Minister Gérald Darmanin, elected Saturday mayor of Tourcoing (North), says he was "authorized" by Emmanuel Macron and Edouard Philippe to combine "for a time" these two functions, in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche.

"The President of the Republic and the Prime Minister had authorized me to be minister and candidate. They authorized me, for a time and considering the exceptional circumstances" linked to the epidemic of Covid-19, "to exercise these two But without accumulating remuneration: I will not receive the mayor's allowance, "said the Minister of Action and Public Accounts.

He announced Saturday morning in the wake of his election by the municipal council as head of the second city in the North that he would "obviously not" receive his municipal allowances, which he will donate to the Humane Society.

Stressing twice in the interview that he was "elected in the first round" of the municipal elections, on March 15, where the head of government must face a delicate second round on June 28, Gérald Darmanin ensures that he will keep his word. "because he was" committed to the Tourquennois to be their mayor if he (he) was elected ".

Claiming social Gaullism - he got involved in politics "for Philippe Séguin" and "voted for Jean-Pierre Chevènement" in the first round of the presidential election in 2002, a point in common with Emmanuel Macron - the ex-elected LR spent at LREM believes in "a third way" between "unbridled capitalism and the administered economy". He pleads for "a generalization of employee shareholding" and calls for "pursuing a policy for the people".

"There is nothing we can do without the people," insists the "immigrant grandson" and "son of a cleaning lady", who voted "no" in the 2005 referendum on the European Constitutional Treaty.

Asked about his ambitions in the context of the future government reshuffle, Gérald Darmanin assured that he would not be "a spoiled child" before immediately recognizing - "Yes, I want to weigh more on our choices, defend my convictions" - and recall that "the President encouraged ministers to "play politics", to take their risks. "

"I will do what the president tells me to do. I want to continue to work with him to repair our country. In any case, my engagement with the President of the Republic will remain intact, regardless of my functions in government or in outside, "he said, proclaiming his loyalty to Emmanuel Macron.

He is less talkative about the head of government - "it is a chance to work in confidence with Edouard Philippe, who is a great Prime Minister", he says soberly - while saying do not "believe a word" of the 'possible deterioration of relations within the executive duo.

Same sobriety to evoke his links with the president of the Haut-de-France region, Xavier Bertrand, whom he had invited to his installation municipal council on Saturday.

"Xavier Bertrand is a good regional president and I do not forget that we have together fought Marine Le Pen in our beautiful northern land. He has all my personal friendship but we have made different national political choices", lets go -he.

© 2020 AFP