Paris – 06/04/2026: Raphaël Glucksmann, chairman of Place publique and member of the European Parliament, has clearly rejected the double primary proposed by Olivier Faure, Secretary General of the Socialist Party (PS), for the 2027 presidential election. Faure envisions first an internal PS primary, followed by an open primary of all left-wing forces excluding La France Insoumise (LFI). Glucksmann issued a clear refusal of this proposal: for a year he has been against primaries and will under no circumstances accept two of them. Instead, he aims for an approach by which the entire left can unite and appear stronger without getting lost in fragmented internal party debates.
Glucksmann plans to decide by the end of August whether he will run as a presidential candidate. Over the coming months, he intends to travel throughout France and present a “new patriotic contract” designed to bring together the various leftist currents. He emphasized that he does not want to become simply “another candidacy on the left wing.” “We must put egos aside,” said Glucksmann, “to find the right personality to present to the citizens if we want to win the presidential election.”
The debate within the Socialist Party is tense: Boris Vallaud, chairman of the Socialist parliamentary group, has stepped back from party leadership because he considers the planned primary counterproductive and especially too narrow without Glucksmann’s involvement. These internal party frictions highlight the challenges the left faces in presenting a united and effective candidacy ahead of the 2027 election.
Glucksmann’s call for a united left approach counters the fragmentation of parties and movements on the left. He sees this division as a central obstacle to electoral success in the upcoming campaign. The ability to unify could be decisive to mobilize enough voters to compete against right-wing and centrist candidacies.
The coming weeks are crucial to clarify the political direction of the left. Whether a common platform and candidate emerge will determine its chances. The 2027 presidential election is seen as a key contest in which the left can only regain stronger significance if it strategically repositions itself and overcomes internal conflicts.
The likelihood of reaching an agreement remains uncertain. The resistance to double primaries and the demand for cohesion reflect the urgency with which Glucksmann is defining his political course. In the months ahead, negotiations among the various leftist currents in France about the best approach will likely gain momentum and shape the political arena.
Sources
- La Gazette France