Gérald Darmanin left rapper Gims little hope on Tuesday January 25 of obtaining French nationality, arguing that it was refused "
in general to supporters of rigorous Islam
".
The Congolese rap star, having lived in France almost all his life, had announced that he would again apply for French nationality which was refused to him.
Read also“Happy New Year”: Valérie Pécresse assures that Gims is “sorry” for having created a controversy
"
The Interior Services will obviously re-examine his request,
" continued the Minister of the Interior on France Inter.
But, he continued, "
not to wish a happy new year because it would not be in keeping with what the friends, buddies or brothers of such and such a character do, however sacred they may be, it is not not a good proof of assimilation into French society
".
The rapper apologized Sunday in the Journal du Dimanche for a video on January 1 where he called on Muslims not to celebrate the new year.
“
This video, I totally regret it (…) I did not want to hurt people.
Faith is intimate,
” he said.
Performer of titles “
Bella
” or “
Sapé comme Never
”, the singer arrived in France at the age of two with his parents fleeing Zaire from President Mobutu Sese Seko.
“
I miss “the official paper”.
But that doesn't just depend on me.
Apparently the refusal is linked to an offense I allegedly committed when I was a minor.
But my locker is blank,
”explains the rapper.
The daily
Le Parisien
, which published an investigation on Gims, however presents another version.
His first application for naturalization was filed in 2013, but "
the procedure is bogged down
".
According to "
a former Minister of the Interior
" interviewed by the newspaper, the refusal finally suffered in 2017 is due to "
non-payment of fines for traffic offenses and his inability to establish in France the center of his material interests
" , the singer residing a good part of the year in Marrakech (Morocco).
Gims would have relaunched his request in 2018, raising the subject with the wife of President Brigitte Macron, without more success, according to Le Parisien.