Key facts
- Centrist infighting in France's presidential race makes a runoff between Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Melenchon more likely.
- Edouard Philippe's support dropped to 15% in an IFOP-Fiducial poll.
- Jean-Luc Melenchon polled at 16.5%, potentially enough to qualify for a runoff.
- Gabriel Attal is also vying for the centrist ticket, controlling party finances.
- Raphael Glucksmann and Bruno Retailleau are also competing for moderate votes.
Centrist candidates in France's upcoming presidential election are facing internal divisions, increasing the likelihood of a runoff between far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and hard-left Jean-Luc Melenchon. Opinion polls suggest Le Pen is almost certain to advance to the second round, while Melenchon is consistently polling ahead of mainstream contenders.
Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, considered the centre's standard-bearer, has seen his support drop to 15% in an IFOP-Fiducial poll, below Melenchon's 16.5%. Philippe's campaign has been hampered by voter weariness with President Emmanuel Macron's second term, security concerns, and internal rivalries, particularly with fellow former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.
Attal, who leads Macron's Renaissance party, has proposed a centrist primary, a move criticized for potentially exacerbating divisions. Meanwhile, Raphael Glucksmann is gaining traction on the centre-left, and Bruno Retailleau and David Lisnard are competing for right-leaning moderate votes. Some allies of Macron are questioning the viability of any centrist candidate associated with his administration, given his low popularity.