France's first cop, intimate with Xavier Bertrand and close to Nicolas Sarkozy, Gérald Darmanin was appointed Monday to replace Christophe Castaner in the Interior. The Minister for the Budget had already expressed his desire to join Beauvau when Gérard Collomb left two years ago. At 37, it's now done. And within the police, the reactions are rather positive.
"The link had been broken with Christophe Castaner"
It must be said that, in recent weeks, the discomfort was palpable between them and their minister, Christophe Castaner, against a backdrop of accusations of police violence. Patrice Ribeiro, secretary general of Synergie Officers, is relieved to turn this page of the quinquennium. "The link had been broken, even broken with Christophe Castaner. Today, we have someone 'reassuring' because he has the ear of the president."
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It is Gérald Darmanin's proximity to the Head of State that counts in the eyes of the union official. "What is important for the police is to have a leader, someone able to embody, and someone with sufficient political clout to carry decisions or even arbitration in times of crisis."
Thierry Clair, UNSA Police national secretary, is more measured. Admittedly, "the police were uncomfortable, angry at the remarks made by Christophe Castaner", who notably wanted to prohibit the method of the choke key. "These words were unwelcome. We hope that the minister [Darmanin] will grant us a rich, nourished social dialogue."
Some reservations
The unions agree to hope for a rapid resumption of the substantive files. White paper on internal security, compensation for night work ... All the same, questions remain, in particular on the portfolio of Marlène Schiappa, now placed under the authority of Gérald Darmanin. "She will have to remain a citizen and not interfere with the police," said a senior official.
Finally, the only reservation made before the handover, Yves Lefebvre, secretary general of the SGP Police unit, hopes that the recent resumption of investigations concerning a rape complaint in 2009 against Gérald Darmanin, complaint initially dismissed, will not be a obstructs the exercise of his ministry.