Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in France on 18 April 2027, with a second round on 2 May if no candidate secures a majority vote. The election may be held earlier under exceptional circumstances if the presidency falls vacant before then.
Incumbent president Emmanuel Macron is ineligible to run, as the French constitution limits presidents to two consecutive terms.
Contents
Background
The dissolution of the National Assembly announced by Emmanuel Macron following the 2024 European election triggered a period of political instability. Michel Barnier and François Bayrou were each ousted in confidence votes, in December 2024 and September 2025, and Sébastien Lecornu became prime minister.
In March 2025, Marine Le Pen, a declared candidate for the National Rally, was found guilty of embezzlement of European Parliament funds and sentenced at first instance to five years of ineligibility with immediate effect, preventing her from running in upcoming elections. On 7 July 2026, the Court of Appeal of Paris upheld her conviction but reduced her ineligibility sentence to 45 months, 30 of them suspended, and ordered one year under electronic monitoring, clearing the way for her candidacy. Following the ruling, Le Pen said she would run and appeal to the Court of Cassation, which is expected to rule by early January 2027 at the latest.
The left-wing New Popular Front alliance formed in 2024 broke apart over strategic disagreements, particularly between the Socialist Party and La France Insoumise. A planned unitary primary was abandoned over the summer of 2026, and the Socialist Party, Place Publique and the Republican and Socialist Left instead held their own primary on 11 October, which Raphaël Glucksmann won in the first round. Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI) and Fabien Roussel (PCF) are running separately.
On the right, The Republicans' members voted on 19 April 2026 to back Bruno Retailleau directly rather than hold a primary; Laurent Wauquiez then withdrew his bid and David Lisnard left the party, while Xavier Bertrand plans to run as an independent. In the centre, Édouard Philippe (Horizons) and Gabriel Attal (Renaissance) are both running, amid fears that their rivalry could leave the two run-off places to the far right and far left.
The number of declared or presumed candidates is unprecedented in the Fifth Republic, with projections of 17 or more candidates against the record of 16 set in 2002. Political scientist Bruno Jeanbart attributes this to "the fragmentation of the political landscape and the decline of the party system" that began in 2017. Political scientists Antoine Bristielle and Élie Michel see it as a symptom of a deep crisis of representation, with parties struggling to fulfill their role in selecting candidates and personal ambitions breaking free from the party framework.
Electoral system
The president of the French Republic is elected to a five-year term under the two-round system as stipulated in Article 7 of the French constitution. If no candidate secures an absolute majority (50% + 1) of votes in the first round, a second round is held two weeks later between the two candidates who received the most votes. Per the constitution, the first round of the presidential election must be held between 20 and 35 days before the conclusion of the president's current five-year term. Emmanuel Macron's second term, which began on 14 May 2022, is scheduled to end on 13 May 2027, meaning that the first round of the presidential election is scheduled to be held between 8 and 23 April 2027.
To be listed on the first-round ballot, candidates must secure 500 signatures (often referred to as parrainages) from national or local elected officials from at least 30 different departments or overseas collectivities, with no more than a tenth of these signatories from any single department. According to the Article 6 of the French constitution, the president cannot "exercise more than two consecutive periods in office".
Declared candidates
National Rally
Marine Le Pen, Deputy (2017–present); President of the National Rally (2011–2021); National Rally nominee in the 2012, 2017, and 2022 presidential elections; MEP for Île-de-France (2004–2009); MEP for North-West France (2009–2017)
Horizons
Édouard Philippe, Prime Minister of France (2017–2020); Mayor of Le Havre (2010–2017; 2020–present); Deputy (2012–2017)
The Republicans
On 19 April 2026, The Republicans held an internal vote among party members on whether to organise a primary election or directly endorse party president Bruno Retailleau's candidacy, with more than 73% voting in favour of backing Retailleau outright. Prior to the vote, three other figures (Xavier Bertrand, David Lisnard, and Laurent Wauquiez) had declared their intention to run in a primary. Since Retailleau secured the party's endorsement, Wauquiez withdrew his bid, Lisnard left the party, and Bertrand is running as an independent candidate.
Bruno Retailleau, Minister of State, Minister of the Interior (2024–2025); President of The Republicans (2025–present); Senator (2004–2024; 2025–present)
Renaissance
Gabriel Attal, Prime Minister of France (2024); Deputy (2017–2018; 2022; 2024–present); General Secretary of Renaissance (2024–present)
Socialist Party and Place Publique
On 11 October 2026, a primary involving voters from the Socialist Party, Place Publique, and the Republican and Socialist Left selected Raphaël Glucksmann as their joint candidate for the 2027 presidential election, with 66.13% of the vote over Olivier Faure, Ségolène Royal, Emmanuel Maurel and Jérôme Guedj.
Raphaël Glucksmann, Member of the European Parliament (2019–present); co-president of Place Publique (2018–present)
La France Insoumise
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Deputy (2017–2022); MEP for France (2009–2017); nominee in the 2012, 2017 and 2022 presidential elections
United Left
The United Left primary was a planned primary election which aimed to select a joint candidate for the presidential election from The Ecologists, L'Après, Debout!, Génération.s, and other left-wing parties. The primary election was eventually abandoned before voting occurred. Both declared candidates of the primary have announced their intention to run as separate candidates.
François Ruffin (Debout!), President of Debout! (2025–present); Deputy (2017–present)
Marine Tondelier, National Secretary of The Ecologists (2022–present); Member of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France (2021–present); Member of the Council of Hémin-Carvin Aglomeration Community (2021–present); Member of the Hénin-Beaumont City Council
Reconquête
Éric Zemmour, President of Reconquête (2021–present); Reconquête nominee in the 2022 presidential election; journalist
French Communist Party
Fabien Roussel, secretary of the French Communist Party (2018–present); Mayor of Saint-Amand-les-Eaux (2025–present); Deputy (2017–2024)
Others
Nathalie Arthaud (Lutte ouvrière), former Member of the Municipal Council of Vaulx-en-Velin (2008–2014), Spokesperson of Lutte Ouvrière (2008–)
François Asselineau (Popular Republican Union), President of the Popular Republican Union (2007–present); Councillor of Paris (2000–2008)
Delphine Batho (Ecology Generation), President of Ecology Generation (2018–present), Deputy (2013–present)
Xavier Bertrand, President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France (2016–present); Deputy (2002–2016)
Karim Bouamrane (Socialist Party), Mayor of Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine (2020–present)
Bernard Cazeneuve (La Convention), Prime Minister of France (2016–2017); Deputy for Manche's 4th constituency (2012; 2017); Deputy for Manche's 5th constituency (1997–2002; 2007–2012)
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (Debout la France), President of Debout la France (2008–present); Municipal Councillor of Yerres (1995–present); Deputy (1997–2024)
Jean-Michel Fauvergue (Independent), Deputy (2017–2022)
Anasse Kazib (Révolution Permanente), far-left activist
Selma Labib (New Anticapitalist Party), Spokesperson of NPA
Francis Lalanne (Independent), singer
David Lisnard (New Energy), Mayor of Cannes (2014–present); Departmental Councillor of Alpes-Maritimes (2008–present)
Florian Philippot (The Patriots), Member of the European Parliament (2014–2019), Vice President of National Rally (2012–2017)
Potential candidates
The Republicans
François Baroin, Mayor of Troyes (1995–)
Renaissance
Aurore Bergé, Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities (2024; 2024–); President of the Renaissance group in the National Assembly (2022–2023); Deputy (2017–2023), Member of the Regional Council of Île-de-France (2021–)
Élisabeth Borne, Prime Minister of France (2022–2024); Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research, Minister of State (2024–2025); Deputy (2022; 2024–2025; 2025–present)
Bruno Le Maire (Renaissance), Minister of Economics and Finance (2017–2024); Deputy for Eure's 1st constituency (2007–2009; 2012–2017; 2017) (has said he will give his answer in October)
Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of France (2014–2016); Minister of State, Minister of the Overseas (2024–2025)
Socialist Party
François Hollande, President of France (2012–2017); Deputy (1988–1993; 1997–2012; 2024–present); First Secretary of the Socialist Party (1997–2008) (has said he will state his intentions in December; positioned as a fallback if the social-democratic nominee fails to build momentum)
Others
Dominique de Villepin, Prime Minister of France (2005–2007); leader of Humanist France (2025–present) (says he will confirm his candidacy once the campaign has begun)
Natacha Polony, journalist, editor and public intellectual
Declined to be candidates
Far-left
Philippe Poutou (New Anticapitalist Party), Municipal Councillor of Bordeaux (2020–2026); (endorsed Jean-Luc Mélenchon)
Centre-left and left-wing
Clémentine Autain (L'Après), Deputy (2017–present)
Lucie Castets (Independent), Mayor of the 12th arrondissement of Paris (2026–present) and Member of the Council of Paris (2026–present)
Carole Delga, President of the Regional Council of Occitania (2016–present); Deputy (2012–2014; 2015–2017) (endorsed Raphaël Glucksmann)
Benjamin Lucas-Lundy (Génération.s), Deputy for Yvelines' 8th constituency (2022–present)
Centre
François Bayrou (Democratic Movement), Prime Minister of France (2024–2025); President of the Democratic Movement (2007–present); Mayor of Pau (2014–2026)
Yaël Braun-Pivet (Renaissance), president of the National Assembly of France (2022–present); Deputy for Yvelines's 5th constituency (2017–present)
Jean Castex, Prime Minister of France (2020–2022); Chairman and CEO of SNCF (2025–present); Chairman and CEO of RATP (2022–2025); Mayor of Prades (2008–2020)
Gérald Darmanin, Keeper of the Seals, Minister of State, Minister of Justice (2024–present); Deputy (2012–2016; 2022; 2024–2025) (endorsed Édouard Philippe)
Sébastien Lecornu (Renaissance), Prime Minister of France (2025–present)
Centre-right and right-wing
Michel Barnier, Prime Minister of France (2024); MEP for Île-de-France (2009–2010) (endorsed Bruno Retailleau; leads the cross-party "Bâtir ensemble 2027" unity initiative)
Valérie Pécresse, President of the Regional Council of Île-de-France (2015–present); The Republicans nominee in the 2022 presidential election; Deputy (2002–2007; 2012–2016) (endorsed Bruno Retailleau)
Laurent Wauquiez (The Republicans), President of the Regional Council of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (2016–2024); Deputy for Haute-Loire's 1st constituency (2004–2007; 2012–2017; 2024–present); President of The Republicans (2017–2019) (endorsed Édouard Philippe)
Far-right
Éric Ciotti (Union of the Right for the Republic), Deputy for Alpes-Maritimes's 1st constituency (2007–present); President of The Republicans (2022–2024) (endorsed Marine Le Pen; ran for mayor of Nice in 2026)
Sarah Knafo (Reconquête), MEP for France (2024–present) (endorsed her partner, Éric Zemmour; ran for mayor of Paris in 2026)
Marion Maréchal (Identity–Liberties), MEP for France (2024–present); Deputy for Vaucluse's 3rd constituency (2012–2017) (endorsed her aunt, Marine Le Pen)
Independent
Robert Ménard, Mayor of Béziers (2014–present)
Cyril Hanouna, television presenter