France: Gérald Darmanin under pressure in the face of the anger of the judicial police

The Minister of the Interior, Gérard Darmanin, in Paris, July 4, 2022. REUTERS - BENOIT TESSIER

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1 min

The discontent of the judicial police is growing in France after the dismissal of the director of the PJ of Marseille, who opposed the reform wanted by the Ministry of the Interior.

Protests that put the ambitious minister Gérald Darmanin under pressure.

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He had tried to clear the ground by promising amendments to his reform in early September, but the promises of Gérald Darmanin did not weigh heavily against his management of the Éric Arella case, respected boss of the Marseille PJ.

Dismissing him from office is the manner of a dictator, the police are rumbling and the protest movement is expected to grow further in the coming days.

An embarrassing internal rebellion for the Minister of the Interior more accustomed to thwarting the attacks of the oppositions.

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France: after the dismissal of a prefect of police, hundreds of agents demonstrate

A new thorn in Macron's side?

After having already had to back down last year on his global security law, Gérald Darmanin could find himself weakened in the event of failure of his police reform, examined from next week in the Senate.

This text is however seen as a founder for the great ambitions of the Minister of the Interior who does not hide aiming for the presidency in 2027.

But in the meantime, Gérald Darmanin remains under the authority of Emmanuel Macron.

And he begins to frown: he had dinner this week with big names in the police, who would have told him of their reservations about the text.

The pressure is therefore likely to increase from all sides on the minister, because the presidential camp does not need an additional front, the management of the pension and budget files already making the majority shudder.

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  • France

  • Gerald Darmanin

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • French politics