Raphael Glucksmann enters 2027 French presidential race through October social-democratic primary

Candidacy announcement and primary race

Center-left European lawmaker Raphael Glucksmann declared his candidacy on Sunday for the 2027 French presidential election during an evening broadcast on the TF1 television network. The 46-year-old politician, representing the Place Publique party, stated that he enters the race to rebuild the country as far-right parties lead national polling. He announced his participation in a joint social-democratic primary scheduled for October to choose a standard-bearer for the moderate left. The primary contest is organized by the Socialist Party alongside Place Publique. Several figures from the Socialist Party have expressed their willingness to enter the primary, while the party awaits a formal decision from First Secretary Olivier Faure. Glucksmann explained his rationale for entering the race during his television appearance.

I am a candidate to rebuild France because, as you know, we all feel a lump in our throat when we see what our nation is becoming and what it could become in the coming months.

Fiscal program and policy priorities

Glucksmann outlined a platform centered on boosting purchasing power for employees through targeted tax adjustments. His stated core priority is increasing net wages by lowering social contribution charges deducted from employee pay. To finance the shortfall, his economic plan introduces higher taxes targeted at the wealthiest 1% of earners. He calculated that this levy would generate 15 billion euros, which would be redirected directly onto worker payrolls. On domestic policy, the platform includes a dedicated rescue program for the French public education system. His campaign also emphasizes national reindustrialisation and a firmly pro-European foreign policy, rejecting claims that he is shifting to the center while calling to fight the battle of French patriotism.

Left-wing alliances and rivalries

Addressing potential coalition strategies on the left, Glucksmann drew a clear boundary regarding radical factions. He ruled out forming an agreement with Jean-Luc Mélenchon's La France Insoumise if he wins the primary nomination. Instead, he reached out toward environmentalist and communist parties, citing specific areas of policy alignment. He credited environmentalists with early recognition of climate challenges and pointed to common goals with communists on domestic industrial renewal.

They were right before everyone else about the climate catastrophe we are experiencing.

The eurodeputy built his national standing after securing 13.8% of the vote when leading the joint socialist ticket in the recent European elections. In current voting intention surveys, Glucksmann registers between 10% and 11%, placing him ahead of other social-democratic contenders but behind Mélenchon, who records 15%.

Disinformation inquiry and wider field

The presidential bid follows legal and personal developments surrounding Glucksmann's campaign. In early August, the French public prosecutor opened an investigation into a targeted disinformation campaign directed at his partner, television journalist Léa Salamé. The hostile operation falsely claimed that Salamé paid bribes to media outlets to advance Glucksmann's political prospects. French authorities linked the campaign to the Storm-1516 network, an entity tied to Russian military intelligence services. The formal presidential campaign requires Salamé to step aside from presenting news programs on public broadcaster France 2. The race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, who cannot run again after ten years in office, features candidates across the political spectrum. Contenders include Marine Le Pen of the National Rally, former prime ministers Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, and former interior minister Bruno Retailleau. On the left, former Socialist president François Hollande remains an unofficial alternative if Glucksmann loses ground before the first round on 18 April.