France’s 2027 presidential election is attracting an extraordinary field of potential candidates, with 39 people having already declared or formalised their ambitions and another 13 expected to enter the contest. The latest entrant, five-time Olympic gold medallist Teddy Riner, has added an unexpected dimension to a campaign increasingly marked by political fragmentation, personal ambition and public dissatisfaction with established parties. With six months remaining before the election campaign enters its decisive phase, the proliferation of candidates is complicating efforts to establish a clear contest to succeed Emmanuel Macron.
“I am telling you, looking directly into your eyes: I am a candidate for the 2027 presidential election,” Riner announced on Monday. The 2.04-metre-tall judoka, who weighs 145 kilograms and was born in Guadeloupe, made the declaration in a video in which he appeared in a blue suit and white shirt, seated behind a desk with a bookshelf and the French flag in the background. The presentation resembled a formal presidential address, leaving little doubt that the announcement was intended as a serious political intervention rather than a publicity stunt.
Riner, whose five Olympic gold medals have made him one of France’s most recognisable sporting figures, sought to position himself outside traditional party divisions. Declaring that he was “neither right nor left”, he spoke about what he described as the social divisions affecting the country and the difficulty experienced by younger and older generations in imagining a secure future. His intervention has drawn particular attention because his popularity extends well beyond the sporting world. According to an Odoxa survey, he is France’s favourite sports personality, ahead of footballer Kylian Mbappé.
The announcement received an unexpectedly positive response from political figures, including Macron himself. “I am very pleased that someone like Teddy Riner, who is a great champion, has decided to get involved in this presidential debate and contribute his convictions, his ideas and his talent. That can only benefit the country,” the president said. Former prime minister Édouard Philippe, who is also seeking the presidency, described Riner as an exceptional French athlete and praised the themes of work, effort and authority that featured in his announcement.
Philippe said these were issues with which he identified and which, in his view, resonated with many French people. He also maintained that no potential candidate had greater legitimacy than another to stand for the presidency. His comments came as the centre-right field itself became increasingly crowded, with Philippe, former prime minister Gabriel Attal, Cannes mayor David Lisnard and Republican Bruno Retailleau competing for political space.
The scale of the emerging contest is reflected in an inventory maintained by the website presitracker2027.com, which lists 39 declared or formally positioned candidates and another 13 expected to announce their intentions in the coming weeks. Alongside prominent figures such as far-right leader Marine Le Pen, left-wing politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Green Party leader Marine Tondelier and social democrat Raphaël Glucksmann, the list includes Saint-Ouen mayor Karim Bouamrane, former presidential candidate Éric Zemmour and Communist Party politician Fabien Roussel.
However, declaring a candidacy does not automatically qualify an individual for the presidential ballot. Prospective candidates must secure 500 endorsements from elected officials by 6pm on 12 March 2027. Until then, many of the announcements remain political positioning rather than confirmed participation in the election.
The motivations behind the growing number of declarations vary. Some candidates are seeking public recognition, while others may be attempting to strengthen their bargaining position in potential political alliances, withdrawing in exchange for influential roles or support from another candidate. In the centre-right camp, the proliferation of competing ambitions has revived the possibility of holding primaries to consolidate support behind a single contender. Polling in December could also force some candidates to reconsider their plans.
Riner, meanwhile, has indicated that he wants to pursue both politics and sport. He has expressed an interest in combining a possible presidency with one final appearance at the 2028 Olympic Games. His candidacy has also received support from François Braun, who served as health minister in 2022 and 2023. Braun described the judoka as a representative of civil society who stood outside established political parties and could offer an alternative to the traditional political establishment. He praised Riner’s stated intention to bring French people together rather than deepen divisions.
The crowded field, however, is emerging alongside a more concentrated pattern in voting intentions. The proliferation of candidates in the political centre is fragmenting that space, while Le Pen and Mélenchon have maintained or increased their support. The two politicians occupy opposing ends of the political spectrum, with Le Pen representing the far-right National Rally and Mélenchon leading the left-wing France Unbowed movement. Mélenchon has recently gained momentum following student protests and has consolidated his position as the second candidate in voting-intention surveys.
The latest poll published by Le Parisien places Le Pen between 34% and 36% in the various scenarios examined, while Mélenchon receives between 18% and 19%. Both have gained between one and two percentage points in most scenarios compared with the previous survey conducted by the same polling institute at the end of October. The poll projects a second-round contest between the two on 2 May 2027, while the wider field of declared candidates continues to expand.
