Gabriel Attal Considers Primary Election with the Right and the Center for the 2027 Presidential Election

Paris – 26.05.2026: Gabriel Attal, former Prime Minister and chairman of the Renaissance party, has officially announced his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. In a speech in the southern French village of Mur-de-Barrez on May 22, 2026, the 37-year-old declared his ambitions to lead the country and to distance himself from the era of his predecessor Emmanuel Macron.

Attal emphasized the need to strengthen the political center and to offer an alternative to the polarizing forces of La France Insoumise (LFI) and the Rassemblement National (RN). In this context, he discussed the possibility of a primary election within the Macronist camp to determine a joint candidate and avoid vote splitting. He said: “If at the beginning of 2027 there is a risk of a second round between LFI and RN, where my political space is not represented because there is vote splitting, then naturally, there must be a union.”

These remarks by Attal raise questions about the willingness of other potential candidates to submit to such a primary election. In particular, Édouard Philippe, former Prime Minister and chairman of the Horizons party, has already announced his candidacy and has repeatedly opposed the idea of a primary election. Philippe emphasized the importance of dialogue between parties and initiated a “connection committee” with Horizons and MoDem to unite the space of the center and center-right.

The discussion about a possible primary election within the Macronist camp is part of a broader political maneuver aimed at preventing a split in voter potential and determining a joint candidate for the 2027 presidential election. In this context, 90 deputies from the Right and Center published a call for unity in “La Tribune Dimanche” to find a common candidate and avoid a possible second round between LFI and RN.

Despite these efforts, the political landscape remains fragmented. In addition to Attal and Philippe, Bruno Retailleau of the Republicans and Gérald Darmanin of the “La République En Marche” party have also expressed their ambitions for the presidential election. The differing approaches and the question of leadership within a possible union complicate the creation of a joint candidate.

The coming months will be crucial to see whether the various actors are willing to set aside their differences and form a united front to strengthen the political center and prevent a split in voter potential. The discussion about a primary election could play a key role in determining a consensus candidate and maximizing the chances for the 2027 presidential election.