French minister Retailleau breaks with Macron as 2027 succession race heats up

By Michel Rose

PARIS (Reuters) -French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau delivered a stern rebuke of President Emmanuel Macron's political legacy in an interview published on Wednesday, breaking with his boss to stake his claim as his potential successor in the 2027 election.

Less than two years before the end of Macron's second term, after which he can't immediately seek reelection, an increasingly crowded group of potential candidates to succeed the French leader is starting to emerge.

Retailleau, a veteran conservative, has yet to declare his candidacy for 2027 but his comments to the right-wing Valeurs Actuelles magazine underline how likely presidential contenders are now trying to distance themselves from Macron's bruised political brand and carve out their own electoral niche.

They also point to the fissures in France's weak minority government, a coalition of centrists and conservatives, that will likely widen as the presidential succession heats up.

"Macronism will end with Emmanuel Macron, quite simply because it's neither a political movement nor an ideology: it essentially relies on one man," he was quoted as saying.

A spokesperson for Macron declined to comment.

Retailleau beat rivals in a leadership contest for the right-wing Republicans party in May, teeing him up for a potential presidential run. As the face of the government's push on rising drug crime and immigration, he has become one of France's most popular politicians.

Retailleau has a 36% approval rating, according to a July Ipsos poll, compared with 24% for Macron.

Retailleau's comments sparked a barrage of criticism from lawmakers in Macron's party.

"Macronism is an ideology and a political party," Macron's former prime minister Elisabeth Borne, who hails from the left and is now education minister, posted on X. "Acting together requires mutual respect."

Macron swept to power in 2017 at the head of his own movement which he said was "neither to the left nor the right". He implemented pro-European, pro-business policies once in power, but was seen as too pro-wealth for the left and not tough enough on crime and immigration for the right.

As his popularity has fallen, his domination of the centre has pushed more French people to the political fringes. Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party is now the largest single parliamentary party, and she and her right-hand man Jordan Bardella lead many polls for the 2027 election.

Retailleau said there would be a return to a clear left-right divide once Macron's term ends. 

A source close to Retailleau, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the minister's comments were to be expected in a coalition government and that he had no plans to resign. He was set to meet Macron on Thursday for a previously scheduled chat. 

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; writing by Michel RoseEditing by Gabriel Stargardter and Sharon Singleton)