French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad has stated he is “quite confident” that the French electorate will reject extremism and refuse to elect a far-right candidate in next year’s presidential election, despite recent polling showing Marine Le Pen with a significant lead.
Haddad made his comments on Euronews’ program 12 Minutes With, days after an Elabe poll commissioned by BFMTV and La Tribune Dimanche projected Le Pen to secure between 34% and 35.5% of first-round votes, dwarfing all other contenders. The National Rally president was cleared to stand in July after an appeals court upheld her embezzlement conviction.
“We still have a long way to go before the election, but I’m quite confident that the French, like they’ve done so many, many times, will refuse extremism,” Haddad said. He emphasized that French voters have repeatedly rejected populism and euroscepticism, describing the population as “deeply European” and proud of their country’s role on the continent.
The minister cautioned against trusting polls, citing his own support for Emmanuel Macron beginning in 2016 when the then-emerging president was far behind in the standings. Macron eventually rose from third place to win the 2017 presidency with 66% of the second-round vote, compared to Le Pen’s 34%. Although that margin narrowed to 59% to 41% in 2022, Haddad remains optimistic about the outcome of the 2027 race.
Haddad criticized Le Pen’s historical positions, labeling her previously as the candidate of “Frexit” and an ally of Vladimir Putin. While Le Pen no longer explicitly advocates for an EU membership referendum, she maintains a eurosceptic stance, calling for reduced contributions and scrapped norms. Haddad argued she is attempting to obscure her past positions.
Addressing the roots of populist appeal, Haddad acknowledged that global uncertainties fuel radical answers. He pointed to weaponized trade, Chinese industrial competition, and the war in Ukraine as factors destabilizing traditional alliances and European certainties. However, he insisted that isolationism would not strengthen France in the face of pressure from China, the US, and Russia.
A key challenge for the pro-EU camp remains political fragmentation. With approximately 30 figures expressing interest in running, Haddad called for unity around a single candidate representing the center and center-right. Potential candidates include former prime ministers Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe, as well as conservative Bruno Retailleau, while the left features Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Marine Tondelier, and Raphaël Glucksmann.
“I think by the end of the year we will have one candidate that can rally the centre and the centre-right and then we will make a case,” Haddad said, noting that some contenders have suggested participating in a primary. He stressed that delivering results on migration, security, and competitiveness, combined with humble engagement with voters, is essential to countering the far-right.
The first round of the French presidential election is scheduled for April 18, 2027, with a potential second round on May 2, 2027, if no candidate achieves a majority.
Hope he’s right about voters rejecting extremism, but ignoring the economic anxiety driving people toward the far right is dangerous.
History shows polls can be misleading, like in 2017. Still, hoping for a united center-right candidate soon is crucial.
Hard to ignore Le Pen’s lead. Maybe French voters aren’t as ‘deeply European’ as Haddad thinks.
Just remember, Macron was third place in early polls back then. Anything can happen in two years!