In his September 23 handover address, France’s newly appointed minister of the interior Bruno Retailleau vowed to “restore order” in the country.
Retailleau laid out three core objectives for his tenure: “The first is to restore order, the second to restore order, and the third to restore order,” he declared, emphasising the task’s urgency.
The minister said the French people were calling for greater security.
“The French want more order both on the streets and the nation’s borders,” Retailleau said.
To do that, Retailleau pledged strong support for France’s police, which he referred to as the “nation’s shield”.
He said he would have no tolerance for any acts of aggression—verbal or physical—against law enforcement personnel. “I will not tolerate any offence against the forces of order,” he stated.
Retailleau also condemned those who criticise the police. “Shame on those who spew hatred towards our forces of law and order. It is disgraceful, and I will not allow it, for they are the shield of the republic.”
The 63-year-old did not lay out concrete measures in his speech, which rhetorically marked a further shift to the Right and a firmer stance on security.
Like his predecessor Gérald Darmanin, Bruno Retailleau was expected to be under pressure from police unions.
In a press release on September 21, the French police union Alliance police nationale demanded the “support of the new interior minister” in the form of “giving them the means to work and defend themselves”.
Other right-wing leaders in the country expressed scepticism about Retailleau’s promises.
“How can Bruno Retailleau believe for a moment that he will restore order with this government? Either he has lost his mind or he is fully aware of it and plans to resign in a big way in three months” said Nicolas Dupont-Aignan leader of the sovereignist party Debout le France.
Comment Bruno Retailleau peut-il croire un instant qu’il rétablira l’ordre avec ce gouvernement ?
Soit il a perdu la tête, soit il en est tout à fait conscient et a prévu de démissionner avec éclat dans trois mois. pic.twitter.com/n5ZR3FHJnb— N. Dupont-Aignan (@dupontaignan) September 23, 2024
