French Minister Benjamin Haddad Expresses Confidence in Rejection of Extremism and Marine Le Pen in Upcoming Presidential Election
Benjamin Haddad, France's European Affairs Minister, has voiced confidence that French voters will reject extremism and Marine Le Pen in the upcoming 2027 presidential election. Despite recent polls showing Le Pen leading with 34% to 35.5% of first-round votes, Haddad believes the French electorate will, as they have in the past, refuse to elect a far-right candidate. He highlighted Le Pen's historical stances, including advocating for 'Frexit' (France leaving the EU) and the eurozone, and her past association with Vladimir Putin. Haddad, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party, acknowledged the long road ahead until the election but expressed skepticism about the accuracy of current polls, citing Macron's own rise from behind in previous elections. Le Pen was recently cleared to run despite an appeals court upholding an embezzlement conviction, with the revised penalties allowing her to stand in 2027. 
