The Minister of the Interior in France is one of the most important governmental positions, it is responsible for the following:

• The general interior security of the country, with respect to criminal acts or natural catastrophes
  • including the major law-enforcement forces (see Police in France)
    • the French National Police
    • the French Gendarmerie for most operational purposes
  • Civil defence and Security Directorate
    • the sub-directorate of Sapeurs-Pompiers or Firefighters
• the granting of identity documents (passports, identity cards) and driving licenses through the network of prefectures;
• relations between the central government and local governments;
• logistics and organization of political elections, at the national and prefectoral levels (but the results of the elections are overseen by the French Constitutional Council or the administrative courts);
• all départemental préfets and sub-prefects are subordinate to the minister of the interior.

While the ministry of the Interior supervises police forces, it does not supervise criminal enquiries; criminal enquiries are conducted under the supervision of the judiciary.

The current Minister of the Interior is Dominique de Villepin.

See Also

• List of Interior Ministers of France

External Links

• Official Website in French