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French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad has voiced strong confidence that the French electorate will once again rebuff political extremism and decline to elect a far-right successor to President Emmanuel Macron in the upcoming 2027 presidential election. Speaking during an interview on Euronews' "12 Minutes With" program, the government minister asserted that French voters have historically demonstrated a consistent resistance to populist agendas, euroscepticism, and radical political movements when casting their ballots in national contests.
Haddad’s remarks arrive in the wake of a recent Elabe survey conducted for BFMTV and La Tribune Dimanche, which placed National Rally figurehead Marine Le Pen substantially ahead of all other prospective contenders. According to the polling data, Le Pen is currently projected to capture between 34% and 35.5% of the vote in the election’s opening round, establishing an early and commanding lead over a divided field of competitors.
The far-right leader’s strong standing follows a key legal development in July, when Le Pen was cleared to seek the presidency despite an appellate court ruling that upheld an embezzlement conviction against her. While acknowledging that the road to the ballot box remains long and challenging, Haddad maintained that historical voting patterns indicate the French public will ultimately draw the line against political extremism when the time comes to choose their next head of state.
Addressing the disparity between current voter surveys and his optimistic outlook, Haddad stated that he places little faith in early polling numbers, noting that historical projections have frequently missed the mark. He recalled his own early involvement with Macron’s political movement, pointing out that when he first backed the current president in 2016, Macron was lagging substantially behind other candidates before mounting a successful national campaign.
During that 2017 race, Macron entered the contest late, declaring his candidacy in November 2016 and steadily climbing from third place in the polls to briefly overtake Le Pen just weeks prior to the vote. Macron eventually secured 24% of the ballots in the initial round before decisively clinching the presidency in the runoff with 66% of the vote against Le Pen's 34%. However, the margin between the two political figures narrowed noticeably in their 2022 rematch, when Macron retained office with 59% compared to Le Pen's 41%.
Central to Haddad's argument is his belief that the French population remains deeply European at heart, maintaining a strong sense of pride regarding France's influential standing and leadership within the European Union. He argued that Le Pen’s foundational political platform fundamentally conflicts with this national identity, reminding voters of her past advocacy for radical breaks with continental institutions.
Haddad pointed to Le Pen's previous campaign platforms in 2012 and 2017, when she openly championed the concept of "Frexit"—advocating for France's total departure from both the European Union and the eurozone currency framework. He also referenced her past political ties and alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that while she currently attempts to downplay or rewrite her record, her long-standing anti-EU trajectory remains evident.
While Le Pen has recently shifted away from overtly demanding a national referendum on EU membership, she continues to maintain a deeply eurosceptic agenda. Her current platform advocates for drastically reducing France's budgetary contributions to the bloc and rolling back European regulatory norms, maintaining an ideological skepticism toward European integration that Haddad argues voters will reject.
Despite his stated confidence in the outcome, Haddad cautioned that mainstream and moderate political figures must approach the rising tide of populism with deep humility. He stressed that stopping the far right requires incumbent leaders and establishment parties to focus primarily on delivering concrete, tangible policy results that directly address citizen concerns.
According to the minister, delivering on government commitments spans critical areas such as managing migration, reinforcing domestic security, fostering economic prosperity, enhancing commercial competitiveness, and safeguarding European populations against emerging foreign threats. Alongside policy execution, Haddad highlighted the necessity of remaining actively engaged on the ground, listening directly to the electorate, and answering voter grievances.
Beyond governance, Haddad underscored the urgent need for political consolidation, framing unity as the primary structural challenge facing moderate forces with roughly eight months remaining before the initial round of voting. He warned that while the political centre boasts considerable talent, its electoral strength is currently being diluted by a heavily fragmented and crowded field of potential candidates.
Approximately 30 political figures have already signaled an interest in launching presidential bids. Within Macron's broader political orbit, potential contenders include two of the president's former prime ministers: centrist Gabriel Attal of the ruling Renaissance party and centre-right figure Édouard Philippe of Horizons. Additionally, conservative candidate Bruno Retailleau of Les Républicains, who has also served as a minister under Macron, represents another faction vying for the same voter base.
The political spectrum is further complicated by a competitive left-wing field, which includes hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France Insoumise, Green party leader Marine Tondelier, and Place Publique Member of the European Parliament Raphaël Glucksmann. Haddad expressed optimism that by the end of the year, the political centre and centre-right will coalesce behind a single consensus candidate—possibly through primary mechanisms—to mount a focused campaign.
The urgency of this consolidation is underscored by the far right's recent electoral momentum, particularly following the 2024 European Parliamentary elections. In that contest, Le Pen's party secured more than double the vote share of Macron's party, a dramatic outcome that prompted the French president to dissolve parliament and call a snap national legislative election.
Concluding his assessment, Haddad acknowledged that escalating international instability has contributed significantly to the spread of populism, noting that foundational geopolitical and economic certainties are rapidly deteriorating. As global trade is increasingly utilized as an instrument of political pressure, Haddad warned that populist movements thrive on voter anxiety, making a unified, results-driven centrist alternative essential to navigating the uncertain road ahead.
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