Lille (AFP)
The president of the Hauts-de-France region Xavier Bertrand (ex-LR) said Sunday on BFMTV expect President Emmanuel Macron to "pull himself together" and make "respect the rule of law" in France.
"This week", the police were "released by the state" and "thrown into the pasture", he denounced. "It has been suggested that, for them, there could be a presumption of guilt (...) they were released by the Minister of the Interior," insisted Mr. Bertrand.
Christophe Castaner announced Monday sanctions against police in the event of "proven suspicion" of racism, provoking their anger, before admitting a mistake.
"I am waiting for the President of the Republic", who must present to the French on Sunday evening his plans to restart the quinquennium, "clearly states how we will restore the rule of law in our country, how we will restore order in our country, "he continued. "State authority, the rule of law, is not an option, there is nothing else that holds otherwise," he said.
"When we see today what is happening, a demonstration is prohibited, it takes place, there is a demonstration which is anti-racist and it becomes a kind of anti-cop hatred and anti-Semitic hatred, it is absolutely necessary that there be sanctions behind ... ", he added, estimating that the American police force and the French police force were strictly not comparable.
"Everyone must pull themselves together and the President of the Republic first!", He said.
Asked if Mr. Castaner should resign, Xavier Bertrand replied that his government fate was already settled. "He will not stay" during the next government reshuffle, "it is obvious". "Neither he nor Ms. Belloubet," the Minister of Justice, he predicted.
"I expect the President of the Republic this evening to tell us that what was committed by the ministers is a mistake and that there is no option, we no longer procrastinate and we enforce the "Rule of law in our country," he said.
© 2020 AFP