AbstractA new integral equation formulation is presented for the Maxwell transmission problem in Lipschitz domains. It builds on the Cauchy integral for the Dirac equation, is free from false eigenwavenumbers for a wider range of permittivities than other known formulations, can be used for magnetic materials, is applicable in both two and three dimensions, and does not suffer from any low-frequency breakdown. Numerical results for the two-dimensional version of the formulation, including examples featuring surface plasmon waves, demonstrate competitiveness relative to state-of-the-art integral formulations that are constrained to two dimensions. However, our Dirac integral equation performs equally well in three dimensions, as demonstrated in a companion paper.