Now he’s back on duty after a moment of silence, carrying ambition and controversy. Gérald Darmanin, the French Interior Minister, did not clinch the July bid to become prime minister. France, busy with pension reform protests and urban unrest in the suburbs, kept President Emmanuel Macron in office, while Elisabeth Borne remained the most unpopular head of government in his presidency. Darmanin’s hopes appeared dashed, even as he pressed on with his political ventures.
A month later, Darmanin returned to the spotlight in his homeland. He hosted an event this Sunday that brought together supporters, ministers, and MPs from Macron’s party and the right-wing Republicans. Historians watching French politics saw this as a visible sign of his ambitions amid a Paris crisis. The gathering took place in Tourcoing, a modest town near Lille where Darmanin served as mayor from 2014 to 2017. When asked about 2027 in an interview with Le Figaro, Darmanin admitted concern about what the future holds in that election year.
With the constitutional two-term limit, Macron will not run again in the next presidential race. A contest for succession has begun. Polls show the former prime minister as the frontrunner, though the economy minister Bruno Le Maire and the interior minister Darmanin also loom large. All three come from the center-right orbit. Darmanin, the most openly ambitious among them, has drawn criticism from various factions within Macronism. Borne cautioned listeners on France Bleu radio that there is a long road from 2023 to 2027.
Following in Sarkozy’s footsteps
Despite widespread criticism from left-leaning and feminist groups, who have accused him of various sexual abuse charges, Darmanin has a powerful patron. Bernard Arnault, the head of Louis Vuitton and reportedly the richest person on the planet, reportedly explored ways to connect Darmanin with Matignon, according to a recent Politico report. On the other hand, former president Nicolas Sarkozy is portrayed as the minister’s political mentor.
In his latest memoir arriving in French bookstores this week, the conservative leader reflects on Darmanin as a potential heir who managed the 2016 LR primary campaign. Sarkozy writes in Le Temps des battles that Darmanin has noticeable qualities and could push through to the presidency with the right moves.
A journalist from Prensa Ibérica notes that Sarkozy once had a working relationship with Macron but has since drawn closer to Darmanin in hopes of influencing France’s future. The journalist explains that Sarkozy’s circle remains attuned to power interests and watches Darmanin’s moves with keen interest. The Prensa Ibérica report quotes Laurent Valdiguié, a co-author of a book on Darmanin, as saying Darmanin represents an old-school politician climbing the ladder and aiming for the Elysee via the interior ministry, much like Sarkozy did after the 2005 suburbs riots.
Valdiguié adds that Darmanin embodies a political flavor some describe as Sarcosism, a blunt, populist bent aimed at the popular classes. He notes Darmanin’s family roots—his father ran a bar and his mother worked as a cleaner—informing a populist strategy and a direct, provocative style that echoes Sarkozy’s approach in 2007. Whether this formula will translate into broad-based support remains to be seen, as voters often prefer authenticity over a copied script.
Darmanin’s tenure at the Interior has carried a mixed record. Issues of crime and policing have dominated public debate, including tensions around the use of force against protesters. In early 2021 he sparked controversy by remarking that Marine Le Pen was too soft and later described some environmental activists as eco-terrorists. Those statements kept him in the political spotlight and shaped perceptions of his alignment with the far right.
As in past decades, questions about leadership in France linger. The current political environment is watching Darmanin closely to see whether his blend of hardline security measures and populist rhetoric can translate into durable support in a future government. The path from interior minister to prime minister, while uncertain, remains a focal point for those tracking French politics as it moves toward a new electoral cycle.