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France urges stepped-up US cooperation on terror threats

France's interior minister warned of a coming resurgence in terrorist threats in Europe during a visit to the US on Friday, saying he had asked Washington for stepped-up cooperation ahead of the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Published: 20 May 2023 13:42 CEST

Gerald Darmanin

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin speaks during an interview with AFP at the French Consulate in New York City on May 19th, 2023. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, on a visit to the United States, expressed alarm Friday at a "resurgence" of the "Islamist terrorist" threat in Europe and called on the U.S. government to strengthen their anti-terrorism cooperation ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo by: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP

Pointing to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, France’s diminished footprint in Africa and the “reconstitution” of the Islamic State in the Levant, Gerald Darmanin told AFP in an interview that these “are times of significant risk.”

He was wrapping up a two-day visit to Washington and New York aimed at boosting police and judicial cooperation between France and the United States in the fight against terrorism and serious crime.

“We have come to remind them that for Europeans, and for France, the primary risk is Sunni Islamist terrorism and that anti-terrorist collaboration between intelligence services is absolutely essential,” Darmanin said during the interview in New York.

He added that “at a time when the Americans maybe have a more domestic vision of challenges – white supremacy, repeated shootings, conspiracy – they must not forget what appears to us in Europe as the first threat: Sunni terrorism.”

He spoke with Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and visited the FBI training centre in Quantico, Virginia.

In New York, he met Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell to discuss public order and security arrangements for major international events, noting that France was gearing up for the Olympics in July of 2024, as well as the Rugby World Cup and a visit by Pope Francis to Marseille later this year.

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French PM says new government names will be revealed 'before Sunday'

Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s office said on Thursday that he would “go to the Elysée to propose to the president a government that is ready to serve France”.

After a meeting earlier on Thursday afternoon with the heads of political parties, Barner then travelled to the Elysée Palace on Thursday evening to meet president Emmanuel Macron.

Their meeting lasted for just under an hour and at the end journalists saw Macron showing Barnier out saying Merci beaucoup, à demain (thanks very much, see you tomorrow).

After the meeting, Barnier’s office said he had had a “constructive exchange” with the president and that the full list of names of the new ministers will be made public “before Sunday, after the usual checks have been made”.

French media reported that the full list of 38 names, of which 16 will be full minsters, includes seven ministers from Macron’s centrist group, two from fellow centrists MoDem and three from Barnier’s own party, the right-wing Les Républicains.

Listen to John Lichfield discussing the challenges that Barnier faces in the latest episode of the Talking France podcast – download here or listen on the link below

Barnier’s statement said that “after two weeks of intensive consultations with the different political groups” he has found the architecture of his new government, adding that his priorities would be to;

Improve the standard of living for the French and the workings of public services, especially schools and healthcare
Guarantee security, control immigration and improve integration
Encourage businesses and agriculture and build upon the economic attractiveness of France
Get public finances under control and reduce debt

France has been in a state of limbo ever since parliamentary elections in July produced a deadlock with no group coming close to winning enough seats for a majority.

A caretaker government remained in place over the summer while president Emmanuel Macron declared an ‘Olympics truce’.

He finally appointed the right-wing former minister and ex-Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on September 5th.

Barnier has spent the last two weeks in intense negotiations in his attempt to form a government that won’t immediately be brought down through a motion of no-confidence in parliament.

Numerous left-wing politicians are reported to have refused to serve in his government while several high-profile Macronists have also ruled themselves out, including long-serving finance minister Bruno Le Maire who last week announced that he was quitting politics.

The reported make up of the new government does not reflect the election result – in which the leftist Nouveau Front Populaire coalition came first, followed by Macron’s centrists with the far-right Rassemblement National in third – but Barnier’s hope is that enough MPs will support it to avoid an immediate motion de censure (vote of no confidence).

The government’s first task will be to prepare the 2025 budget, which is already a week late. France’s soaring budget deficit and threat of a downgrade from ratings agencies mean that it will be a tricky task with Barnier, who has prepared the ground for tax hikes by warning that the situation is ‘very serious’.

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