Minister of the Interior (France) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Minister of the Interior and Overseas France

Incumbent Gérald Darmanin since 6 July 2020
Style	Monsieur le ministre
Member of	Council of Ministers
Reports to	President of the Republic and to Parliament
Residence	Hôtel de Beauvau
Seat	Paris 8^e, France
Appointer	President of the Republic
Term length	No fixed term Remains in office while commanding the confidence of the National Assembly and the President of the Republic
Precursor	Minister for the Maison du Roi
Formation	7 August 1790
First holder	François-Emmanuel Guignard, comte de Saint-Priest
Website	www.interieur.gouv.fr

The Minister of the Interior (in French: Ministre de l'Intérieur) is a very important job in the Government of France. This person is like the "home minister" in other countries. For example, it's similar to the Home Secretary in the United Kingdom. It's also like the Minister of Public Safety in Canada. In Australia, it's similar to the Minister of Home Affairs.

What Does the Minister of the Interior Do?
A Look at History
Where is the Ministry Located?
Who is the Current Minister?
See also

What Does the Minister of the Interior Do?

The Minister of the Interior has many important jobs. They help keep France safe and organized. Here are some of their main duties:

Keeping the Country Safe

The minister is in charge of keeping the country safe. This includes dealing with crimes and natural disasters.

They oversee the main police forces.
- This includes the National Police.
- It also includes the National Gendarmerie for its police work. The Gendarmerie is part of the French Armed Forces.
They manage the general civil defense and crisis team. This group helps people during emergencies.
- This includes the directorate of Firefighters. These are the brave people who put out fires.

Managing Important Documents

The minister helps people get official documents.

They are in charge of giving out passports.
They also issue identity cards.
They help people get their driving licenses.
This is done through local offices called prefectures and subprefectures.

Working with Local Governments

The minister helps connect the main government with local areas.

They manage how the central government works with cities and regions.
All local leaders, called prefects and subprefects, report to the Minister of the Interior.

Organizing Elections

The minister helps make sure elections run smoothly.

They handle the planning for national and local elections.
The results of these elections are checked by special courts.

Handling Immigration

The minister also deals with people coming into France.

They set rules for people who want to move to France legally.
They also work to stop people from entering the country illegally.
They help legal immigrants settle in France. This includes helping them find jobs, learn the language, and find homes.

Other Duties

The Minister of the Interior also has some special roles.

They act as the former Minister of Worship.
This means they are involved in choosing Catholic bishops in France.

It's important to know that the Ministry of the Interior supervises the police. However, they do not oversee criminal investigations. Those investigations are handled by the justice system.

A Look at History

The job of Minister of the Interior has a long history. It started during the French Revolution.

Early Days of the Ministry

The position was officially created on August 7, 1790. The first person to hold the job was François-Emmanuel Guignard, comte de Saint-Priest.

At first, the minister's duties included organizing elections.
They also managed relations with local authorities.
They even oversaw farming and trade.
But their main job was always to manage the police forces.

Changes Over Time

For a while, from 1796 to 1818, there was a separate Ministry of Police. This police ministry was also briefly brought back later.

Office of the Minister of the Interior

During the time of the First Empire, the Interior Ministry's tasks became fewer.

In 1824, a new Ministry of Public Instruction was created. It took over education policy.
By 1832, the Interior Ministry mainly focused on elections and firefighters.
In 1836, a Ministry of Public Works, Agriculture, and Commerce was formed.

More Recent Changes

Over the years, other duties moved to different ministries.

In 1911, the part of the ministry that looked after prisons moved. It went under the authority of the Minister of Justice.
Nine years later, in 1920, the public health part of the ministry also moved. It went to a new Ministry of Hygiene, Assistance, and Social Security.

Where is the Ministry Located?

The main office of the Ministry of the Interior is in Paris.

It has been located on Place Beauvau since 1861.
This location is right across from the Élysée Palace. The Élysée Palace is where the President of France lives.
Because of its location, people often use "Place Beauvau" to mean the ministry itself.

Who is the Current Minister?

The current Minister of the Interior is Gérald Darmanin. He has held this position since July 6, 2020. He took over from Christophe Castaner.

Mr. Darmanin is helped by Marlène Schiappa.
She holds a special title called Minister for Citizenship. She works under the Prime Minister, Jean Castex.

Minister of the Interior (France) facts for kids

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