Key facts
- MEP Raphaël Glucksmann is preparing to announce his candidacy for the French presidential election.
- His announcement is expected within days, likely via a prime-time TV interview.
- Glucksmann intends to compete in the Socialist Party's primary.
- Polls suggest he is the strongest center-left contender.
- He faces significant challenges from far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and anticapitalist Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Center-left Member of the European Parliament Raphaël Glucksmann is poised to announce his candidacy for the upcoming French presidential election, according to sources close to him. His announcement is anticipated within days, potentially through a Sunday prime-time television interview.
Glucksmann plans to enter the Socialist Party's closed primary, which also includes figures like former presidential candidate Ségolène Royal and MP Philippe Brun. Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure is also considering a run. While a primary win would secure Socialist backing, the party has faced electoral struggles and internal divisions.
Several prominent Socialists, including former President François Hollande and former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, have indicated they might pursue independent presidential bids rather than participate in the primary. However, polls suggest Glucksmann, who leads his own party, Place Publique, is the most viable center-left candidate, having led his allies to a third-place finish in the 2024 European elections.
Despite his positioning, Glucksmann and other center-left hopefuls lag significantly behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen in most surveys. To reach the runoff, Glucksmann must overcome centrist and center-right competitors, as well as the firebrand anticapitalist Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who is currently polling slightly ahead of him. The two are known rivals with differing stances on key issues such as NATO membership and pension reform.