French Interior Minister Darmanin warns of risk of Le Pen victory in next election

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin delivers a speech during an "afternoon of discussion" on "the expectations of the working classes" at the Botanical Garden in Tourcoing, northern France, on August 27, 2023. © François Lo Presti, AFP

France's powerful Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Sunday issued a stark warning over the danger of far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen winning the presidency in the next election, while burnishing his own ambition to succeed Emmanuel Macron in 2027.

A sequence of bold statements by Darmanin have rocked French politics over the summer holiday period and, as the elite return from vacation, eyes are firmly turned towards the 2027 presidential poll even though it remains years away.