PARIS — He has declared war on the Islamist “enemy within” and halal food shelves in supermarkets. He launched what he described as a “massive” operation against 76 of France’s mosques, and sought to criminalize the filming of police officers. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin of France is at the center of a triple-headed political crisis that is rocking the late stages of the presidency of Emmanuel Macron — over Islam, police brutality and freedom of the press. And there is no sign that Mr. Darmanin is buckling. This week, the youthful, 38-year-old Mr. Darmanin appeared on the cover of the magazine Paris Match, a sure sign that he has transcended the Paris political bubble and entered into the public consciousness.

Source: New York Times December 12, 2020 08:59 UTC