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 stand, 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. The subsequent snap legislative election resulted in a hung parliament. After weeks of negotiations, Michel Barnier was appointed Prime Minister on 5 September 2024, leading a government based on cooperation between Ensemble and The Republicans. He was later overthrown by a vote of no confidence in December.
François Bayrou succeeded him and managed to pass the 2025 budget, but failed to stabilise a governing majority. He was in turn ousted on 9 September 2025, and replaced by Sébastien Lecornu. This sequence of unstable governments has shaped the political context leading up to the 2027 presidential election.
In March 2025, Marine Le Pen, a declared candidate for the National Rally, was found guilty of embezzlement of European Parliament funds. She was 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, with 30 months suspended, potentially reopening a path for her to stand in the 2027 presidential election. The court also sentenced her to three years' imprisonment, two of them suspended, and ordered her to serve one year under electronic monitoring, leaving initial uncertainty over whether she would pursue a campaign under those conditions. Following the ruling, Le Pen said she would run for president and appeal the conviction again.
The left-wing New Popular Front alliance formed in 2024 has weakened due to strategic disagreements, particularly between the Socialist Party and La France Insoumise. Several figures have expressed support for a joint candidacy under project "Building 2027", which was rejected by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Raphaël Glucksmann, and Fabien Roussel. The United Left primary is scheduled for October 11, 2026, although the prospect of a unified candidacy remains uncertain, as both LFI and the Socialist Party are likely to field their own separate candidates.
On the political right, divisions centre on the method of selecting the candidate. Bruno Retailleau was nominated as The Republicans' candidate on 19 April 2026 following a member vote. Gérald Darmanin, Laurent Wauquiez, and David Lisnard favour a primary election—the latter two seeking to include Reconquête—while Xavier Bertrand and Édouard Philippe reject the idea. Michel Barnier proposed a coalition project, "Building Together," to unite the right and centre.
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. More than 73% voted 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 and Lisnard left the party.
Xavier Bertrand, President of the Regional Council of Hauts-de-France (2016–present); Deputy (2002–2016)
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
Philippe Brun, Deputy (2022–present)
Olivier Faure, First Secretary of the Socialist Party (2018–present); Deputy (2012–present)
Raphaël Glucksmann, Member of the European Parliament (2019–present); co-president of Place Publique (2018–present)
Jérôme Guedj, Deputy (2022–present)
Ségolène Royal, Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy (2014–2017); President of the Regional Council of Poitou-Charentes (2004–2014); Socialist Party nominee in the 2007 presidential election; Deputy (1988–1992; 1993–1997; 2002–2007)
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 is a primary election scheduled for 11 October 2026, which aims to select a joint candidate for the presidential election from The Ecologists, L'Après, Debout!, Génération.s, and other left-wing parties.
Lydie Massard (Breton Democratic Union), Member of the European Parliament (2023–2024)
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
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)
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
Reconquête
Éric Zemmour, President of Reconquête (2021–present); Reconquête nominee in the 2022 presidential election; journalist
The Republicans
Michel Barnier, Prime Minister of France (2024); MEP for Île-de-France (2009–2010)
François Baroin, Mayor of Troyes (1995–)
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)
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)
Jean Castex, Prime Minister of France (2020–2022); Mayor of Prades (2008–2020)
Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of France (2014–2016)
Socialist Party
François Hollande, President of France (2012–2017); Deputy (1988–1993; 1997–2012; 2024–present); First Secretary of the Socialist Party (1997–2008)
Others
Dominique de Villepin, Prime Minister of France (2005–2007); leader of Humanist France (2025–present)
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
Benjamin Lucas-Lundy (Génération.s), Deputy for Yvelines' 8th constituency (2022–present)
Lucie Castets (Independent), Mayor of the 12th arrondissement of Paris (2026–present) and Member of the Council of Paris (2026–present)
Clémentine Autain (L'Après), Deputy (2017–present)
Carole Delga, President of the Regional Council of Occitania (2016–present); Deputy (2012–2014; 2015–2017) (endorsed Raphaël Glucksmann)
Centre
Bruno Le Maire (Renaissance), Minister of Economics and Finance (2017–2024); Deputy for Eure's 1st constituency (2007–2009; 2012–2017; 2017)
Sébastien Lecornu (Renaissance), Prime Minister of France (2025–present)
Yaël Braun-Pivet (Renaissance), president of the National Assembly of France (2022–present); Deputy for Yvelines's 5th constituency (2017–present)
François Bayrou (Democratic Movement), Prime Minister of France (2024–2025); President of the Democratic Movement (2007–present); Mayor of Pau (2014–2026)
Gérald Darmanin, Keeper of the Seals, Minister of State, Minister of Justice (2024–present); Deputy (2012–2016; 2022; 2024–2025)
Centre-right and right-wing
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