Gérald Darmanin no longer believes in the primary. Appearing on BFMTV on Tuesday, November 3rd, the Minister of Justice called on Gabriel Attal and Bruno Retailleau to support Édouard Philippe in the presidential race. According to the former Minister of the Interior, the mayor of Le Havre remains the best-placed candidate among the center and right-wing contenders, even if his qualification for the second round is far from guaranteed. This stance comes two days after Édouard Philippe refused to participate in a primary, despite repeated calls from Gabriel Attal to organize a joint candidacy.
“We must help the one who is capable of qualifying for the second round,” declared Gérald Darmanin, before urging the other contenders to be “good sports.” The Minister of Justice acknowledged, however, that Édouard Philippe “is not entirely capable of qualifying for the second round” given the current balance of power. According to him, the solution nevertheless lies in rallying around the Horizons candidate, rather than in a new internal competition. Darmanin, who has publicly supported the former Prime Minister since the end of August, believes that his rivals must now draw the necessary conclusions from the opinion polls.
An appeal that directly targets the ambitions of Attal and Retailleau
The minister's statement comes as Gabriel Attal continues to defend the organization of a primary, which he considers "inevitable," despite Édouard Philippe's refusal. Bruno Retailleau, for his part, contests the proposed scope of this consultation, particularly the possibility of including the social-democratic left. Gérald Darmanin now believes that there is not enough time to organize such a vote. "With 200 days until the presidential election, we no longer have the time," he stated, thus abandoning a solution he himself had previously advocated.
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