Raphaël Glucksmann holds first major rally to launch 2027 French presidential campaign

Raphaël Glucksmann’s first large-scale rally, set for this evening at the Docks d’Aubervilliers in Seine-Saint-Denis, marks a critical moment for the social‑democrat who has yet to formally enter the 2027 presidential race. The event, with a capacity of around 3,000 people, aims to demonstrate that his candidacy can gain traction despite internal left‑wing fragmentation and the long shadow of Jean‑Luc Mélenchon’s far larger gathering a week ago.

A launch without a declared candidacy

Glucksmann, who has given himself until September to decide whether to run, will use the meeting to project an image of determination and to frame his political space. The rally follows a media acceleration that included the May 28 release of his book "Nous avons encore envie," in which he calls for a "new patriotic contract" to restore France’s strength. He plans to emphasise that the "republican and democratic left will be there in 2027," according to his previews, and to insist that a large crowd alone does not determine electoral success.

“A big rally does not make an election.”

Organisers acknowledge the contrast with Mélenchon’s 26,000‑strong meeting on June 7. Glucksmann’s team says the evening will be enthusiastic but different in scale and tone, seeking to show that his movement is building support even without the full weight of the Socialist Party apparatus.

Squeezing the Socialist Party

Glucksmann needs the PS’s activists and logistics, but the party’s leadership remains hesitant. First Secretary Olivier Faure will be absent, sending deputy Laurent Baumel to observe, while Glucksmann’s supporters within the party — including Occitanie regional president Carole Delga and senator Laurence Rossignol — will attend. Around 25 left‑wing parliamentarians are expected, but several potential rivals such as François Hollande, Bernard Cazeneuve, Karim Bouamrane, and Jérôme Guedj have stayed away.

“We want to show them that something is happening, with or without the PS.”

The PS continues to push for a two‑stage primary, a process Glucksmann rejects, betting instead on opinion polls that give him about 12% of voting intentions — behind Mélenchon but ahead of other social‑democratic figures — to make the case for a unifying candidacy.

Mélenchon’s shadow and the pressure to perform

Insoumis figures openly mock the rally. Deputy Antoine Léaument dismissed Glucksmann with a blunt comparison to Mélenchon, saying the MEP "can’t compare to us and won’t go the distance." Still, Glucksmann insists he will beat Mélenchon in the presidential contest, and his team hopes the Aubervilliers event will mark a turning point after a spring marked by a damaging internal note on electoral targeting and a poorly reviewed television clash with Éric Zemmour last November.

“He doesn’t bear comparison with us, and he won’t go the distance.”

The road to September

After the rally, Glucksmann will continue a three‑month push to consolidate his political space and pressure the PS to fall in line. The timeline below shows the key moments that have shaped this pre‑campaign period.

While no formal declaration is expected tonight, the meeting is designed to make the candidate’s trajectory feel inevitable to a broader left‑wing audience and to force the hand of a party that remains his indispensable partner.