France – The French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, suffers the relentless assaults of a growing number of political actors who qualify his homage to the Algerian martyrs as outrageous as to the memory of the Harkis and Pieds-Noirs who fought the FLN during the Algerian war.
For many personalities involved in politics in France, the tribute that Gérald Darmanin deigned to pay to the martyrs of the Algerian war represents a serious attack on the memory of the French and “natives” who fought for the colonial army from 54 to 62. Twitter is the scene of its virulent attacks against the minister, descended from a Harki grandfather.
The French deputy and member of the national defense and armed forces commission, Nicolas Meizonnet, violently attack the Minister of the Interior in the Castex government. The elected representative castigates the member of the Executive after the tribute he paid to the Algerian martyrs at the Martyr Memorial (Maqam Echahid) in Algiers.
The gesture of Gérald Darmanin constitutes, in the eyes of the parliamentarian, a “dishonor” towards the Harkis and Blackfoot. They gave their lives precisely to fight the Algerian shaheeds. These were natural enemies of colonial France. The very loyalty of the minister is thus called into question by the man who sits in Parliament. Something he did then under the label of the National Rally (NR).
Gérald Darmanin in the “clutches” of the extreme right
A city councilor, still from Marine Le Pen’s party, responding to the name of Morgann Vanacker, tweeted in the same direction. Only an insignificant difference in terminology distinguishes his message from that of his companion to the NR and member of the National Assembly. Indeed, for the parliamentarian, the homage to the martyrs of Algeria is a “dishonor.” While for the city councilor, it is a “shame.”
Other French internet users have followed the same path. They are business executives, association activists, students, etc. Everyone agrees that Gérald Darmanin, who in passing supports the “Global Security” bill, acted very badly in Algiers. The calls for his resignation, therefore, follow one another on the web. It should also be noted that the said law aims to limit the taking of images of police officers during the exercise of their missions.
This text is not unanimous in France. A lively controversy emerges concerning it. Many French people accuse Macron and his ministers, like Gerald Darmanin, of complacency with foreigners. Conversely, they complain, the government is tightening the grip on press freedom. They fear, in fact, for citizen control of the security institution.
