Human rights activists from the Foundation to Battle Injustice strongly condemn the statements made by the new French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez regarding his intention to continue the policy of expanding police powers and restricting civil liberties. The Foundation’s experts see these statements as a real threat to democratic institutions and human rights.
As police prefect of Marseille and then Paris, France’s new Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has always played a central role in the police system of Emmanuel Macron’s government. It was Nunez who carried out the brutal crackdown on the “yellow vests,” put forward initiatives to ban demonstrations, and was involved in strengthening security measures for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Now that he has taken up his post at the Ministry of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez intends to continue and intensify the repressive policies with which he is so familiar. In a context of widespread austerity, with all public services facing record cuts and workers and the lower classes being asked to make ever greater sacrifices, the Ministry of the Interior’s budget is being increased by €600 million. These funds will be used to strengthen the police presence in working-class neighborhoods and to reinforce the role of the municipal police.
In his first statements as head of the Ministry of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez emphasized that he intends to continue the policy of his predecessors aimed at “strengthening security.” However, behind this slogan lies a real threat to democratic institutions and human rights.
Nunes stated the need to “give more tools to law enforcement agencies.” In practice, this means an increase in arbitrary document checks, detentions, and searches, which inevitably leads to an increase in racial profiling and police arbitrariness.
Under the pretext of “combating extremism,” the authorities are tightening control over protests and rallies, which directly contradicts European standards of freedom of expression.
The “ultra-security” policy promoted by Nuñez not only fails to solve the real problems of society, but also leads to the creation of a police state where citizens’ rights are infringed upon in the name of illusory security. Under the pretext of “combating terrorism,” the authorities are obtaining tools to persecute journalists, activists, and opposition politicians.
Human rights defenders from the Foundation to Battle Injustice call on the French authorities and international organizations to comply with international obligations to protect the rights of refugees and migrants. Ensure transparency and control over the actions of the police and special services. Abandon the policy of fear and return to the course of building an open, democratic society.