After the lively exchange on Tuesday morning, the Minister of the Interior was accused of “sexism” and contempt against the BFMTV journalist.
It all started with a question innocently posed Tuesday morning by BFMTV journalist Apolline de Malherbe to her guest of the day Gérald Darmanin. On this occasion, she asked him about the increase in the figures for violence against people – data from the Ministry of the Interior.
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Getting carried away, the tenant of Place Beauvau mocks his question – a “very quick and somewhat populist presentation” – and throws him: “Calm down Madam, it will be fine”. Words vilified by a good part of the opposition. If the left immediately reproaches him for his “Sexism”the right and the RN challenge him on his reaction “offended” given its safety record.
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Darmanin claims a “popular” and not “technocratic” phrase
Guest of LCI on Thursday evening to clear up the controversy, Gérald Darmanin indicated, as a seasoned political figure, to practice “debates with journalists and citizens”. Exchanges where he would have taken the habit of answering on the “same tone” than his interlocutors. Faced with Ruth Elkrief, the Minister of the Interior tried to defend himself: “I found your colleague’s tone to be extremely aggressive. Anyone who watches the entirety of this TV moment will undoubtedly see it.“Before explaining”that we all benefit from being calmer when we have someone in front of us who obviously does not want to start this interview like that. Way to start a mea culpa.
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For the first cop in France, who would have called the journalist since, “it was an obviously tense interview that (L)prevented from talking about the substance.“And to regret”deeply» if she had “felt hurt”. Thursday morning, on the same channel, the Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, Élisabeth Moreno had pushed her colleague to apologize “if she (Apolline de Malherbe, editor’s note) felt offended.” Returning to the expression that made so much headlines – “Calm down Madam, it’s going to be fine” – and that he “uses many times in the National Assembly“, the member of the government saw something of “popular“and who would not be”technocratic“.
Faced with accusations of machismo and condescension to which he has been subjected, Gérald Darmanin specifies, according to him, that “itWhat is sexist or misogynist is to consider that when you have an interlocutor – depending on whether he is a woman or a man – you must use different words.“To better defend his strong reply on Tuesday, the minister calls himself the victim”of a tense interview” who does not “will not remain as the best interview of Apolline de Malherbe » or like the «his“.
To bring the discussion to another angle, the Northerner finally blames the continuous news channels which “caricature” security and migration issues. This would lead to an increase in “populism” and “extremes“. Throughout his political career, the member of the government points out that he has “never refused to answer a difficult question“, while claiming again to”speak a popular language» : «si political life is a sanitized, technocratic and Parisian language“, that “disinterested the French in politics.”