PARIS — France isn’t getting rid of cash, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin clarified on Friday after telling lawmakers a day earlier that the move would help stop drug trafficking.

In an interview with radio station RTL, Darmanin recognized that getting rid of banknotes was unpopular and that the government lacked the “political means” to take a move that would significantly affect the everyday lives of millions of people.

Darmanin said a debate on the future of cash would require “a lengthy discussion with French people,” especially to address the concerns of small businesses and older citizens.

The 42-year-old added that a presidential campaign — which he is already laying the groundwork for ahead of the 2027 contest — could be the right avenue for such a discussion.

A 2023 senatorial report estimated that illegal drug trafficking in France is worth between €3.5 and €6 billion yearly, and that most of this revenue comes from “small daily purchases using small banknotes.” The French state only recovers a few million euros of that amount each year, Darmanin said, adding that other forms of payment —included cryptocurrency — are easier for investigators to track.

The right-leaning justice minister, who spent years as interior minister before taking on his new role last December, has long advocated tough-on-crime policies. In the same RTL interview, he also backed the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces to identify individuals wanted by the police.