Jean-Luc Mélenchon
Photo: jlm2017.fr, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
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- 12h ago
Attal proposes a 'primary of democrats' to block a LFI-RN runoff in 2027
Gabriel Attal, trailing Édouard Philippe in the polls, called on TF1 for a primary of democrats to stop a Mélenchon-Le Pen runoff. Allies of Philippe and Bruno Retailleau, along with Dominique de Villepin, have rejected the plan.
- 6d ago
Marine Le Pen opens French presidential campaign in Orléans with security pledges
Le Pen told a rally in Orléans that she would make Jordan Bardella prime minister if she wins, while 3,000 police secured the event on Sunday, 25 October.
- Oct 21
Ifop poll puts Le Pen far ahead after 17 October riots in France
Marine Le Pen would take 34% to 38% of the first-round vote and beat Jean-Luc Mélenchon 68% to 32% in a runoff, according to an Ifop poll published on Tuesday, 20 October. The survey followed protests against the high cost of living that turned into riots and looting across France.
- Oct 17
Protests in France leave over 1,200 arrested and 150 police injured
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said late on 17 October that more than 1,200 people had been arrested, as the Limoges town hall burned and its clock tower collapsed during the protests.
- Oct 12
Raphaël Glucksmann wins French Socialist-led primary with 66% of the vote
The 46-year-old MEP took more than 66% of the vote in the first round on Sunday, 11 October, ahead of Olivier Faure on 14%. Rivals on the left are already setting conditions for backing him in the 2027 presidential race.
- Oct 10
Gabriel Attal launches youth pact in Lyon and targets Mélenchon ahead of 2027 election
At his first regional rally in Lyon on Saturday, the Renaissance candidate presented a youth and education pact to about 2,000 people. The meeting came as high-school protests continued and one day before Jean-Luc Mélenchon's own education-focused meeting in Clermont-Ferrand.
- Oct 7
Banque de France Governor Emmanuel Moulin Rebuffs Treason Accusations and Legal Threats by Jean-Luc Mélenchon
Banque de France Governor Emmanuel Moulin declared he will not be intimidated after left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon threatened him with prosecution for treason over remarks on France's public debt.
- Oct 3
French social-democratic primary records 140,282 registered voters ahead of first round
A total of 140,282 voters enrolled for the French social-democratic primary before Monday's midnight deadline, preparing to choose among five candidates over two rounds of voting on 9–10 and 16–17 October.
- Oct 3
French student loses hand in Lens grenade blast as school protests spread
A 15-year-old student lost his hand to a police stun grenade in Lens on 5 October, as nationwide demonstrations over school conditions led to 400 school closures and hundreds of injuries.
- Oct 1
Left primary candidates clash over LFI alliances and Gaza in second French debate
Five contenders in France's social-democratic presidential primary debated for two hours on 1 October 2026 ahead of party member votes later in the month.
- Oct 1
France unveils €54 billion austerity budget as debt hits 119% of GDP and bond yields rise
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu presented the 2027 draft budget featuring €54 billion in spending cuts, seeking to stabilize public finances as sovereign debt reached 119% of GDP and 10-year bond yields climbed to 4.89%.
- Sep 30
Christine Lagarde rejects 2027 French presidential run and clarifies ECB departure plans
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde confirmed she will not contest the French presidency in 2027, noting that any early exit from her ECB mandate would span only a few months.
- Sep 27
National Rally and Allies Secure 15 Senate Seats to Form First Upper House Caucus
The French far-right party and its right-wing allies gained nine seats in Sunday's indirect election, surpassing the ten-seat threshold required to create an official parliamentary group in the upper house.
- Sep 24
Macron proposes military deployment to Saudi oil terminal to curb rising fuel prices
President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to deploy French military assets to protect Saudi Arabia's Yanbu oil terminal, aiming to stabilize global supply and contain domestic fuel prices.
- Sep 23
French social-democratic candidates clash over LFI alliances and Ukraine in first debate
Five French social-democratic contenders debated alliances with La France Insoumise, policy toward Russia, and the Gaza conflict in a three-hour broadcast on LCI ahead of party voting in October.
- Sep 20
François Bayrou proposes centrist primary timetable ahead of 2027 French election
MoDem leader François Bayrou laid out rules for an online centrist primary to pick a single presidential candidate by February, urging rivals to unite to avoid a runoff between extremes.
- Sep 19
French Military Chaplain Faces Disciplinary Action After Leaked Sermon Attacks Left-Wing Politicians
The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has launched disciplinary proceedings against a military chaplain attached to the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment after footage emerged of him mocking leftists during a 2025 church service in Carcassonne.
- Sep 14
French polls show Marine Le Pen leading presidential race as Jean-Luc Mélenchon takes second
Polling from September 2026 places Marine Le Pen at 33% to 36% of first-round votes, with Jean-Luc Mélenchon advancing to the runoff in most scenarios as Emmanuel Macron's final term draws to a close.
- Sep 14
Mélenchon flexes radical left support at Fête de l'Humanité as 2027 rivals push for unity
Jean-Luc Mélenchon rallied thousands at the Fête de l'Humanité festival on September 12, defending his economic stances as rivals Fabien Roussel and François Ruffin launched competing 2027 presidential pitches.
- Sep 12
Banque de France and ECB Reject Mélenchon Proposal to Cancel 500 Billion Euros of Debt
Banque de France Governor Emmanuel Moulin and ECB President Christine Lagarde rejected proposals by left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon to write off or restructure approximately 500 billion euros in French public debt.
