Raphaël Glucksmann, the 46-year-old MEP and leader of the centre-left party Place Publique, is expected to announce his candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election during a prime-time interview on TF1 on Sunday evening. The former essayist, who has become a prominent voice for European integration and a staunch supporter of Ukraine, will join a field already crowded with contenders from across the political spectrum.
Glucksmann's decision comes after months of preparation. In late May, he used the same TF1 platform to declare that he would spend three months travelling the country, proposing a "new patriotic contract" and seeking to reunite the left. His campaign is expected to focus on social justice, climate action, and a firm stance against the far right, themes that have defined his political career since he co-founded Place Publique in 2018.
The announcement is unlikely to reshape the race overnight, but it carries an immediate personal consequence: his partner, Léa Salamé, a leading journalist on the public channel France 2, is set to step back from her flagship news programme to avoid any perceived conflict of interest. Salamé, who has anchored the evening news since 2025, had previously indicated she would do so if Glucksmann ran. She has insisted on her independence, saying in February: "I am an independent and honest journalist, a free woman." Jean-Baptiste Marteau, who has been filling in during the summer, is expected to take over permanently.
A crowded left-wing field
Glucksmann's entry intensifies competition on the left, where several figures have already declared or are considering bids. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the radical-left La France Insoumise, is running for a fourth time. Marine Tondelier, head of the Greens, is campaigning in a joint primary despite being pregnant. Delphine Batho, a former Green minister, has announced her candidacy to counter what she calls a "rikikisation" and the "disappearance" of environmental politics. Socialist Party first secretary Olivier Faure is also weighing a run, and even former President François Hollande has not ruled out a comeback.
According to a count by Le Nouvel Obs in June 2026, more than twenty-five candidacies had been officially declared or claimed. This fragmentation has long been a concern for left-wing voters, who fear it could hand victory to the far right. Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National, sees her best chance yet to capture the Élysée after three failed attempts, with President Emmanuel Macron unable to seek a third term.
Opinion polls currently place Glucksmann at 10-12% of voting intentions, a respectable score but likely insufficient to reach the second round. His performance in the 2024 European elections, where he led a joint PS-Place Publique list to 13.8%, demonstrated his appeal, particularly among younger voters, some of whom speak of a "Glucksmania" phenomenon.
To avoid splitting the vote, the Socialist Party and Place Publique plan to hold a primary in October to select a single candidate. The details are still being finalised, with both parties' bodies expected to approve the process on Tuesday. Rank-and-file Socialists, consulted in early July, rejected an open primary favoured by Olivier Faure, opting instead for a "closed primary" limited to members of the PS, Place Publique, and a "social-democratic pole". This smaller electorate is seen as more favourable to Glucksmann.
Although Glucksmann strikes a more reformist and centrist tone than the traditional PS, he has every interest in working with the party and leveraging its electoral machinery, as his own structure remains relatively weak. His background includes a stint as an adviser to Mikheil Saakashvili, the pro-Western former Georgian president, from 2009 to 2013, a period that shaped his hawkish views on Russia. He has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since the 2022 invasion and advocates a hard line against Vladimir Putin.
Born in Beirut and now 46, Glucksmann is the son of philosopher André Glucksmann. His entry into the race adds another layer of complexity to an already unpredictable election, where the left's ability to unite may prove decisive. As the campaign unfolds, the question remains whether "Glucksmania" can transcend the age barrier and translate into a viable path to the second round.
