As a good connoisseur of the right, he was confident that he could return enough LRs. But his former family did him the wrong way Monday night. By voting in majority for the motion to reject, the Republicans rejected a version deemed too “lax” of the immigration text. They also took great pleasure in inflicting a beating on Gérald Darmanin. The next day, on the microphone, Eric Ciotti scratches the former brother in arms:
“Our Assembly has sanctioned, in form, the intolerable contempt of the Minister of the Interior.” The boss of LR and the president of the group, Olivier Marleix, immediately indicated that they now wanted to deal with Elisabeth Borne to find a compromise. But why has Gérald Darmanin become the new pariah of the right? We found five explanations.
The human explanation: “the face of the traitor”
Side changes are a classic of political life, but some are never completely digested. Gérald Darmanin’s rallying to Emmanuel Macron during his victory in 2017 (after having criticized him during the campaign) thus still remains in the throat.
“He was a Sarkozyste during the primaries (end of 2016). And he was one of the first to join Macron. For the traditional right, he has the face of the one who betrayed his family,” says Eric Pauget, LR deputy for Alpes-Maritimes. Other ex-LR who also joined the President of the Republic at that time, like Bruno Le Maire, do not, however, cause as many pimples among right-wing elected officials.
The basic explanation: “its poor record”
Unlike his colleague from Bercy, Gérald Darmanin is often targeted for his “poor record” on immigration or security: increase in delinquency, weak application of OQTF (obligation to leave French territory), chaotic management of the Champions League final at the Stade de France… “Darmanin wants to do Sarko, but he doesn’t have the results that go with it. It has three areas of expertise: religion, immigration and security. It’s a fiasco out of all three,” tackles LR MP for Pas-de-Calais Pierre-Henri Dumont.
The childish explanation: “He hits us”
Another source of hostility is his attitude towards his former colleagues. Because the Minister of the Interior is not stingy with tackles and other nonsense, which he slides into the microphone, smirking. “He spends his time hitting us and acting tough,” emphasizes Eric Pauget. “During the LR niche, he clearly targeted Eric Ciotti, going so far as to recall that he was a former collaborator of Estrosi (the mayor of Nice, and now his absolute rival). He is provocative…” Another MP confirms: “he disregarded our proposals on immigration on Thursday, so Ciotti was very angry. He sleeps on it, and the next day, he learns that Darmanin is having lunch with Estrosi right in front of his office! », he sighs. “he erred on the side of overconfidence.”
The unspeakable explanation: “it’s the [meilleur] macronist »
No LR will say it as it is, but if Gérald Darmanin annoys so much, it is also because he is one of the best elements in the government, one of the most popular at least, and therefore one of the most dangerous for the right. “He is undoubtedly the most political minister of all, he knows how to do politics, he knows how to communicate,” says Eric Pauget more soberly. “He carried texts which went in the direction of more security, increasing budgets, which can speak to the right,” he adds.
The irrational explanation: “a personal obsession”
Enmity sometimes goes beyond rationality. At least this is the reason given by the first person concerned to explain, for example, Olivier Marleix’s hatred of him. “He is not against the text, but in a personal obsession against me,” Gérald Darmanin recently said. At Parisian. He hates me, irrationally because I don’t know him.”
Beyond Marleix, several LRs say they have had “good relationships” with Gérald Darmanin so far. Once the storm has passed, Eric Pauget thinks that tensions will ease. “With Marleix or Ciotti, they will not spend their vacations together, but in politics, the link is never completely broken.” The three men are now working, with Elisabeth Borne, on a compromise text before the Joint Commission scheduled for next Monday.