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During the transfer of power at the Ministry of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin made a remarkable statement. In handing over his position to Bruno Retailleau, the former minister spoke about his origins, confiding that his name was Gérald Moussa Jean Darmanin.
“My name is Gérald Moussa Jean Darmanin,” declared the outgoing Minister of the Interior on Monday, September 23, recalling that his father had wanted to give him the name Moussa, in homage to his grandfather, an Algerian rifleman who served France. Gérald Darmanin then surprised the assembly by stating: “It is quite obvious that if I had been called Moussa Darmanin, I would not have been elected mayor and deputy and I probably would not have been appointed Minister of the Interior in the first place.”».
The former minister from a modest family regularly highlights his personal background and his roots in his political speech. In particular, he used his origins to respond to criticism of his positions on secularism or the fight against Islamism. For example, he recalled that although he is of Algerian origin, he is resolutely on the side of defending French republican values, particularly in the face of religious extremism.
Gérald Darmanin took office as Minister of the Interior four years ago, in July 2020. He is making way for Bruno Retailleau, former senator for Vendée and member of the Les Républicains party.
