EDITORIAL
Christophe Castaner acknowledged, Sunday on TF1, that there were flaws that allowed the attack on the Prefecture of Police. But he ruled out resigning. And this did not surprise our editorialist Nicolas Beytout.
That was to be expected. In a case as serious as this terrorist attack, it is a classic reflex of the opposition to question the superior responsibility of the minister. And in the same way, the refusal of the Minister of the Interior to return his wallet was written in advance. He was clearly supported by the Prime Minister, who renewed his confidence yesterday morning.
Edouard Philippe rose quickly to the niche. It gives the impression that there was urgency ...
Indeed, he felt the pressure rise and it was necessary to react very quickly. What he did. And that does not solve anything. Christophe Castaner poses several problems for Emmanuel Macron and the government. The first is that of credibility. Credibility of his own word, because it is not the first time that he is the author of false statements. It is to wonder if it weighs the weight of the words when it expresses itself? And if so, then why does he take the risk of uttering untruths?
All this also undermines the credibility of his function, that of Minister of the Interior, which is not nothing, all the same! And in the age of suspicion, of conspiracy, we can imagine the damage that it can cause ...
That was the case, in the attack on the Prefecture of Police ...
Absolutely. We quickly saw the conspiracy thesis: "They hide the truth from us, they knew from the beginning that it was an attack, they did not want to say it ... because it is a Muslim, or because the debate on immigration to be held today in the Assembly should not be exacerbated. " What is certain is that, coming just days after the disaster of Rouen and all the doubts that it caused, this case falls very badly.
You said that Christophe Castaner poses several problems ...
Yes, and I was thinking, of course, of last week's police demonstration: there had never been so many police officers in the street, like that, cold. It's simple, the Minister of the Interior is challenged by his own troops, and it will not improve: when he explains for example that, in the attack of the Prefecture of Police, if there has been dysfunctional, there will be sanctions, it is a way of discarding his responsibility on his administration.
In these conditions, can he stay?
I think he will stay. In this kind of crisis, the French practice is that we do not resign hot. And then, Emmanuel Macron does not like being under pressure, and he treats him like a faithful of the first hour. The result is that the Castaner problem is now that of Emmanuel Macron.