Minister of the Interior (France)


The Minister of the Interior is an important position in the Government of France. The office is equivalent to the Interior Minister of other countries, like the Home Secretary of the United Kingdom, the Minister of Public Safety in Canada or similar to a combination of the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security in the United States.

Responsibilities

The Minister of the Interior is responsible for the following:
The Minister of the Interior also takes on the role of the former Minister of Worship and is formally consulted in the process of appointment of Catholic diocesan bishops. The Minister of Worship used to be a fully-fledged minister; the position was abolished in 1912.
While the Ministry of the Interior supervises police forces, it does not supervise criminal enquiries. Those enquiries are conducted under the supervision of the judiciary.

Location

The ministry's headquarters are located on Place Beauvau, facing the Élysée Palace. "Place Beauvau" is often used as a metonym for the ministry.

Organisation

The Minister of the Interior has been Gérald Darmanin since 6 July 2020. He succeeded Christophe Castaner, who was appointed to the office on 16 October 2018. Darmanin is assisted by Marlène Schiappa, who holds the junior title of Minister for Citizenship in the government of Prime Minister Jean Castex.