Security Expert Warns France at ‘Historic Turning Point’

Nearly a year after publishing his book warning France of an impending security collapse, prominent lawyer Thibault de Montbrial says recent events have vindicated his analysis, according to Valeurs Actuelles.

Thibault de Montbrial argues that the deterioration of public safety is not simply a series of isolated incidents but rather the culmination of a decades-long decline. The attorney describes France as being on a dangerous slide where violence intensifies progressively while the state loses its capacity to impose authority. Burglaries, assaults, drug trafficking, urban violence, and attacks on state representatives all point to a structural phenomenon that has now taken root.

Urban Violence Reveals State Weakness

De Montbrial points specifically to the violence that erupted following Champions League matches and Paris Saint-Germain games. These events, he contends, demonstrate the state’s inability to anticipate and control predictable outbursts of disorder.

Each episode of violence that goes inadequately punished, the lawyer explains, fuels a sense of impunity and encourages further lawlessness. This dynamic feeds a growing crisis of confidence among citizens who no longer believe public authorities can protect them.

Rethinking Public Order Doctrine

While praising the quality of specialized French riot control units including the CRS and mobile gendarmerie, de Montbrial maintains that the difficulties these forces encounter stem primarily from a lack of political will rather than operational deficiencies.

He emphasizes the critical need to distinguish clearly between legitimate demonstrators and rioters. This distinction, he argues, is essential to enable law enforcement to calibrate their response appropriately to the level of violence encountered while remaining within legal boundaries.

Justice System and Police Protection

As Valeurs Actuelles reports, de Montbrial addressed the recent legislative proposal concerning presumption of self-defense for police officers and gendarmes. He views this measure not as changing the conditions for use of force, but as primarily protecting officers during judicial proceedings that follow their interventions.

Discussing the controversial Nahel case, the attorney defends the position of the police officer involved and argues that the affair has profoundly affected law enforcement morale nationwide. Many officers now hesitate to intervene, he notes, fearing judicial consequences rather than physical danger.

Call for an Authority Shock

To reverse the decline, de Montbrial advocates for what he terms a genuine authority shock. This would require stronger political backing for security forces, a tougher criminal justice policy, and better enforcement of sentences already handed down by courts.

He also calls for refocusing the state on its core sovereign functions, reducing public spending on non-priority areas, and implementing more restrictive immigration policies. The restoration of authority, he insists, must also pass through schools and the transmission of French history, culture, and values to new generations.

France at a Turning Point

With less than a year until France’s presidential election, de Montbrial believes the nation stands at a pivotal moment. He criticizes political leaders who have governed in recent decades, arguing they lack the credibility needed to address the crisis he describes.

Despite this severe assessment, the lawyer maintains profound optimism. He remains convinced that a course correction is still possible, provided a new political generation emerges capable of making the difficult decisions necessary to durably restore state authority.

With information from Valeurs Actuelles