Gérald Darmanin has rejected Gabriel Attal’s proposal for a centre-right primary ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election, calling instead for political figures to unite behind Édouard Philippe. Darmanin, the justice minister and a supporter of the Horizons leader, made the appeal in an interview with BFMTV and RMC on Tuesday, November 3.
Darmanin had previously backed holding a primary, saying in February that a single candidate was needed to avoid losing the election and failing to reach the second round. He now argues that, with about 200 days remaining before the vote, there is not enough time for the process. He also pointed to polling figures cited in the interview, saying Philippe was polling at 15% to 17%, compared with 4% to 5% for Attal.
Darmanin urged Attal and Les Républicains leader Bruno Retailleau to bring their policy priorities to discussions with Philippe. He acknowledged that Philippe’s positions do not fully reflect his own view of the “social right,” but argued that supporting a candidate is necessary to influence his programme.
Philippe has repeatedly opposed a primary, describing it as a source of division and confusion. Attal, who has called a primary inevitable, countered that the greater risk is having several candidates split the vote in the first round. He warned that a second-round contest between Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon would be a “cataclysm.”
MoDem leader François Bayrou and Association of Mayors of France president David Lisnard have also called for a centre-right primary. Retailleau has not ruled one out but has attached conditions concerning who would take part.
Sources: Le Monde.