Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner, 37, entered France’s 2027 presidential race Monday, but his candidacy must still clear a legal test requiring formal support from elected officials.
Article 3 of France’s election law requires at least 500 elected officials to present a candidate. Their presentations must span at least 30 departments or overseas territories, with each area limited to 10% of the total. After reviewing submissions, the Constitutional Council sets the official candidate list. A public declaration alone does not place someone on the ballot.
Riner announced his bid in a campaign video published Nov. 9. The video raised public debt, household purchasing power, public safety and administrative burdens as issues he wants to address. In an interview with Le Parisien, he described his political position as “neither right nor left” and said he wanted to bring voters together. EconoTimes had previously reported his intention to seek the presidency.
Le Monde reported that Riner’s early policy ideas include anti-racism measures and pension changes that take demographic trends into account. The proposals would retain the pay-as-you-go system, with a funded component also under consideration, the newspaper reported. Riner plans to give more detail later, according to Le Monde.
Riner has said he hopes to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if the demands of the presidency and the French public’s decision permit it. The International Judo Federation said he won his third individual Olympic title at the Paris 2024 Games and helped France take gold in the mixed-team event.
