Justice Minister Darmanin proposes sweeping powers to combat urban unrest

During a televised appearance, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin unveiled a package of "shock" measures aimed at strengthening the judiciary’s response to urban violence. He highlighted the recent arson of the Limoges town hall and instructed the national anti-terrorist prosecutor to coordinate with local authorities to assess possible links to far-left groups. A circular will require prosecutors to invoke the organized-crime statute wherever feasible, allowing detention up to 72 hours and authorising tools such as geolocation, wiretaps and facial-recognition.

Darmanin stressed that this classification will increase penalties and urged appellate courts to overturn sentences he deems insufficient. He reported that 67 individuals are currently held, including 34 in the Aix-en-Provence area, and announced plans to convene commercial courts to aid merchants in recovering losses. The minister concluded by questioning the loyalty of La France Insoumise to the Republic.