Police attacked in Lyon: despite the controversy, why does Darmanin maintain his position?

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin is at the heart of the controversy in the case of the police officers attacked in Lyon. The suspect, whose deportation he demanded, was not the right one. The minister, however, remains straight in his boots: this foreigner in an irregular situation is not responsible for the attack according to the investigation by the Lyon prosecutor’s office. But Gérald Darmanin maintains his position. Administratively, the man is not in order and must therefore leave the territory. And if the minister persists and signs, it is for several reasons.

First of all, there is the substance of the matter, namely that the record of Emmanuel Macron’s first five-year term in terms of migration is not good. Each year, the equivalent of the population of the city of Bordeaux receives a first residence permit and a figure in 2019, 129,800 obligations to leave French territory, that is to say expulsions, were decided by justice against illegal immigrants. And barely 12% of these people have actually been sent back to their country of origin.

Regular foreign offenders targeted

In reality Emmanuel Macron has groped a lot for several years. And this time, Gérald Darmanin, after talking about it with the head of state, decided to take action. The Minister of the Interior now intends to target delinquent regular foreigners, in addition to illegal foreigners who commit crimes. For the Minister of the Interior, all must leave French territory.

Then, obviously, the subject is very political. Since the legislative elections and the arrival of 89 deputies from the National Rally, Emmanuel Macron has understood that on migration issues, words are no longer enough. Actions and results are now needed.