Gérald Darmanin, the Minister of Justice, has sparked outrage among police unions after sending a letter to Laurent Nuñez, the head of the National Police, highlighting systemic failures in handling cases of sexual violence against minors. The letter, dated July 29, 2025, was revealed by Le Monde and outlines serious shortcomings in how law enforcement agencies have transmitted files to judicial authorities. According to the document, which spans twelve pages, there exists a vast “phantom stock” of unresolved procedures that were never properly passed on by police and gendarmerie forces. This revelation has led to intense criticism, with some calling the letter an act of betrayal. The letter reveals alarming discrepancies in the handling of cases involving child sexual abuse. In Nîmes, prosecutors reportedly discovered 1,275 “phantom” procedures, while in Caen, the number reached 905. In Agen, numerous ongoing cases failed to generate any response from the public prosecutor’s office. In Bourges, a dozen procedures were simply lost. These figures suggest a deep-seated problem within the system, with critical evidence potentially going unnoticed or ignored. The reaction from the Syndicat des Commissaires de la Police Nationale (SCPN) has been particularly sharp. On August 8, 2025, the union’s general secretary, Frédéric Lauze, accused Darmanin of betraying the very officers he once oversaw during his tenure as Interior Minister. Speaking on France Info, Lauze described the letter as an “uppercut,” emphasizing that it came from a minister who had previously criticized judicial misconduct in the Lyhanna case. He called the message one of “disgust,” accusing Darmanin of trying to shift blame away from himself and onto the police force. Lauze further argued that the letter’s tone and content amounted to an attempt to absolve the judiciary of responsibility. He claimed that the document, based on reports from general prosecutors, sought to distance the legal system from its failures rather than addressing them directly. He pointed out that the issue of a backlog of three million pending procedures has long been raised by police officials, yet no meaningful action has been taken. Instead, according to Lauze, political agendas have taken precedence over justice, leading to a situation where investigations are compromised and victims are neglected. Darmanin responded swiftly, posting a lengthy statement on the social media platform X. He defended his record, emphasizing that under his leadership, more than 8,000 additional personnel were added to the police and gendarmerie forces. He also highlighted increased funding and resources allocated to protect minors, arguing that neglecting these efforts would be unacceptable given the gravity of the crimes being addressed. Despite his defense, the controversy continues to grow. Several media outlets, including 20 Minutes and Libération, have echoed the concerns raised by the SCPN, reporting that the police association has labeled Darmanin’s actions as a “betrayal.” The dispute reflects a broader tension between political leaders and frontline law enforcement, with each side accusing the other of failing to prioritize the safety and rights of children. As the debate intensifies, both sides remain locked in their positions, with no immediate resolution in sight.
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