Polls cited by France 24 project a 2027 runoff between France’s far right and hard left, while judo champion Teddy Riner says he is not acting for President Emmanuel Macron.
At a Saturday fair for products made in France, Riner called Macron’s congratulations a “poisoned chalice” and said, “I’m not the president’s envoy.” Macron had said earlier in the week that Riner’s entry into the race “could only benefit the country,” France 24 reported. Riner announced his candidacy Nov. 9.
In that announcement, Riner warned that France risked deeper political division. France 24 said he has described his politics as outside the left-right divide and presented himself as an option for voters who reject both extremes.
In an interview with Le Parisien, Riner indicated support for pension reform and lower social security contributions, according to France 24. He also argued that young people’s opportunities should not depend on personal connections, family background or skin color, the outlet reported.
France 24 said polls it cited put far-right leader Marine Le Pen in position to win the first round, with hard-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon projected to reach the runoff. The outlet also reported that Macron’s popularity is at its lowest level since he took office in 2017. The center-right has struggled to unite behind one candidate, and former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has fallen from second to third in recent surveys, France 24 said.
Riner still faces a ballot qualification test. He needs 500 formal presentations from elected officials across at least 30 departments or overseas territories, and no single area can provide more than 10% of them. The Constitutional Council will assess the submissions before setting the official candidate list, as EconoTimes previously explained in its account of the ballot requirements.
