Gérald Darmanin is aware that his possible destiny depends on his immediate credibility at the Ministry of the Interior. LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP
COUNTERPOINT – The Minister of the Interior knows that it is by bringing his immigration bill to fruition and providing himself with an essment that he will be able to convince the French for 2027.
He had tried to step aside, he returned to his territory. Perhaps too confident about his achievements as Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin wanted to mark the political start with a speech on the need to better address popular categories. Basically, the elected official from the North has not changed his mind: he remains convinced that any victory against Marine Le Pen requires winning back voters who felt abandoned. But, in terms of form, the Tourcoing episodeat the end of August, had turned against him.
Its reference to 2027 was considered too early. His remarks on pension reform or economic policy were received as a criticism of the action taken over the past six years. And, from the day of August 27 that he played “at home”, we remember much more the lesson addressed to him by Élisabeth Borne than his ultimately restrained speech.
His first major media outing since the Tourcoing episode allowed him to send a clear message: no, France will not welcome any of the illegal immigrants who arrived in Lampedusa
Among his rivals within the majority, this sidestep was presented as a misstep. To the…
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