General view of the National Assembly in Paris on October 19, 2022 (AFP/Archives/Emmanuel DUNAND)
The deputies gave the green light to an increase in the credits of the Ministry of the Interior of around 15 billion euros over five years, during the examination of a bill of programming and orientation to which the right will “not obstruct”.
During a sluggish session on Monday evening, with sometimes tense speeches, the deputies will only have addressed around twenty amendments. However, at the end of the session, they adopted the first article examined (article 2), which provides for this increase for 2023-2027.
Several deputies, in the opposition and in the majority, announced that they would monitor the validation of this programming in the next annual budgets of the ministry.
The Republicans and RN deputies present voted largely in favor. The LFI deputies voted against and the Socialists did not take part in the ballot.
Earlier Monday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin recalled that the bill had been largely approved by the Senate with a right-wing majority (with the votes of the Socialists), and called on the deputies to adopt a response to the “lack of structural means for more than thirty years”.
Parliamentarians generally support an increase in resources for the police but are divided on their direction. The Insoumis deputies unsuccessfully tabled a motion of preliminary rejection.
“I do not vote 15 billion blindly and I do not vote 15 billion to accomplish the policy of Gérald Darmanin”, insisted Ugo Bernalicis, accusing the minister of wanting police officers “between Terminator and Robocop”, instead of a “necessary local police”.
“I know your project was to disarm the police,” retorted Gérald Darmanin, arguing that the planned job creations were detailed.
Left-wing deputies also pleaded against an extension of fixed fines to around twenty additional offences, in particular obstruction of road traffic. They see it as a disguised offensive against the actions of yellow vests or climate activists.
These extensions “tilt the text towards a dangerous slogan: the problem of the police would be justice”, denounced the communist Elsa Faucillon.
“We share the desire to improve the link between the police and the population. We differ on the method”, insisted the ecologist Sandra Regol.
“The threat is rather on the side of the police to hear you (…) We have a totally different vision”, dryly acted the minister.
Rebellious, environmentalists and communists are mostly preparing to vote against the bill.
– LR will “not obstruct” –
Their socialist allies start from a less hostile position. Welcoming “many interesting things”, in particular “modernization” measures, Roger Vicot deplored blind spots, in particular on “police-population relations”.
He also argued that an “annex report” to the bill, a sort of roadmap for the ministry for the next five years, “fixes the framework of the departmentalization which will allow (…) the reform of the judicial police”, much criticized.
The report will be debated at the end of the examination of the text, scheduled for the weekend.
For Les Républicains, Ian Boucard deplored “insufficient” content but he recognized “advances”: “We will not obstruct this necessary bill”, he declared. In committee, the LRs obtained almost doubling of places in administrative detention centers for foreigners in an irregular situation.
In the absence of an absolute majority, the presidential camp should rely on the right to pass its text.
On the National Rally side, Jordan Guitton castigated a lack of “political will” from the government on security, but he also described the text as “good progress to take”.
“We still haven’t understood whether you voted for the text or not,” quipped Gérald Darmanin.
– Cybercrime and criminal procedure –
Almost half of the 15 billion euros must be dedicated to digital transformation. 8,500 police and gendarme posts are to be created over the five-year term, with eleven new mobile force units and 200 gendarmerie brigades.
Against cybercrime, the text allows seizures of digital assets. It also provides for more severe penalties for sexist insult and includes several measures to simplify criminal procedure. In some cases, victims will be able to file a complaint by videoconference.
Police officers take position before a football match between Bordeaux and Lorient in Bordeaux, May 14, 2022 (AFP/Archives/ROMAIN PERROCHEAU)
The senators have increased the penalties for violence against elected officials, urban rodeos and refusals to comply. Since the beginning of the year, twelve people have died after police fire when they refused to comply.
Another sensitive point: the roadmap annexed to the bill refers to the strengthening of the prerogatives of the border guards of Frontex, the European border surveillance agency.
© 2022 AFP
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