Too cold, too big for his taste. Unlike his predecessors, Bruno Retailleau does not sleep at number 11 Place Beauvau. From his adjoining Parisian apartment, the resigning Minister of the Interior nevertheless dreams of continuing his mission, he who claims to have shaken up the “politically correct” since his appointment on September 21, with his action and especially his media outings on immigration, insecurity or drug trafficking, to restore “order, order and order” in the country.
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Within Michel Barnier's government, the former president of the Les Républicains (LR) group in the Senate was the head that stuck out, and he intends to remain so. “In politics, you only exist when you are a minister, and he understood that well”summarizes the LR deputy for Eure-et-Loir Olivier Marleix. It remains to be seen in what context, and with whom. In his interview with Figaro posted online Thursday, December 5, Bruno Retailleau draws two red lines: a left-wing prime minister and future members of the government elected under the label of the New Popular Front.
But this conservative Catholic knows how to still be flexible at 64 years old and would have no problem participating in a council of ministers with moderate left-wing figures, such as Bernard Cazeneuve or Jean-Yves Le Drian. “He wants total imperviousness towards the people and ideas of La France insoumise”summarizes one of his close friends, Othman Nasrou, resigning Secretary of State responsible for citizenship and the fight against discrimination.
To plead his case, Bruno Retailleau has his new friends from the presidential camp. The turnaround is spectacular, like Yaël Braun-Pivet. The President of the National Assembly expressed her ” worry “ the day after the minister's declarations, on September 28, on the rule of law, “not intangible, nor sacred”. She now assures to share “the same values” that he and judge “important that he can stay inside”. Forgotten, his controversial remarks, notably in July 2023, when he pointed out “ethnic origins” rioters. “I plead to bring together those who are willing to seek compromises. And as a result, I find it difficult to do without Bruno Retailleau”, adds the president of the MoDem deputies in the National Assembly, Marc Fesneau, who criticized him in September for « know [des] common, centuries-old foundations.
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