Gabriel Attal is considering a primary with the right and the center for the 2027 presidential election.

Paris – 26.05.2026: Gabriel Attal, former Prime Minister and president of the Renaissance party, officially announced his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. In a speech delivered in the village of Mur-de-Barrez in southern France on May 22, 2026, the 37-year-old candidate expressed his ambition to lead the country and distinguish himself from the era of his predecessor Emmanuel Macron.

Attal emphasized the need to strengthen the political center and offer an alternative to the polarizing forces of La France Insoumise (LFI) and the National Rally (RN). In this context, he mentioned the possibility of a primary within the Macronist camp to designate a common candidate and avoid a split of the votes. He said: “If at the beginning of 2027 there is a risk of a runoff between LFI and the RN, where my political space is not represented due to a splitting of votes, then of course there must be a union.”

These statements from Attal raise questions about the willingness of other potential candidates to submit to such a primary. In particular, Édouard Philippe, former Prime Minister and president of the Horizons party, has already announced his candidacy and has repeatedly opposed the idea of a primary. Philippe has stressed the importance of dialogue between parties and has launched a “liaison committee” with Horizons and the MoDem to unite the center and center-right space.

The debate about a possible primary within the Macronist camp is part of a broader political maneuver aimed at avoiding a division of the potential electorate and designating a common candidate for the 2027 presidential election. In this context, 90 deputies from the right and center published in “La Tribune Dimanche” a call for unity to find a single candidate and avoid a runoff between LFI and RN.

Despite these efforts, the political landscape remains fragmented. Besides Attal and Philippe, Bruno Retailleau from the Republicans and Gérald Darmanin from the party “La République En Marche” have also expressed their ambitions for the presidency. Divergent approaches and the question of leadership within a possible union complicate the creation of a common candidate.

The coming months will be decisive to observe whether the different actors are ready to set aside their differences and form a common front to strengthen the political center and avoid the splitting of the potential electorate. The debate on a primary could play a key role in designating a consensual candidate and maximizing the chances in the 2027 presidential election.