Former French President François Hollande and former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe met in Sens for a debate on the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during the debate broadcast on French news channel LCI, Hollande urged his political family and allies to find every available path toward unity. The former head of state advised against holding a primary election to select a candidate, describing primaries as a procedure that divides political movements rather than bringing them together.
Philippe, who has already declared his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election, set clear limits on his political support. The former prime minister stated that he would never vote for any candidate running under the banner of the left-wing La France Insoumise party, nor would he ever vote for a candidate representing the far-right Rassemblement National.
Gathering at political summer school
The meeting took place in Sens, a town in the Yonne department of north-central France, during the annual summer university organized by Laboratoire pour la République. The discussion between the two high-profile political figures was moderated by television presenter Darius Rochebin and covered live by French news provider TF1info.
Laboratoire pour la République is a political think tank and policy group associated with Philippe, aimed at developing public policy proposals and bringing together center-right figures. Rochebin is a Swiss-born journalist and television host who anchors evening news broadcasts and debate programs for the 24-hour news channel LCI.
Hollande served as President of France from 2012 to 2017 as the leader of the Socialist Party, navigating major domestic reforms and international crises during his five-year term at the Élysée Palace. After stepping down from the presidency, he returned to active parliamentary politics, remaining an influential commentator on left-wing coalition building and electoral strategy.
Positioning for the 2027 presidential election
Philippe served as France's Prime Minister from 2017 to 2020 under President Emmanuel Macron, leading the government through early economic reforms and the initial response to the coronavirus pandemic. He subsequently founded Horizons, a center-right political party, and serves as mayor of the Normandy port city of Le Havre while preparing his campaign for the presidency.
The two parties excluded by Philippe represent opposite ends of the French political spectrum. La France Insoumise is a prominent left-wing movement led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, while Rassemblement National is France's primary far-right party, led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. Both movements have expanded their parliamentary presence in recent years.
France will hold its next presidential election in 2027, when President Macron reaches his constitutional limit of two consecutive terms in office. With no incumbent eligible to run, political parties across the French left, center, and right are beginning to outline campaign structures, primary rules, and potential alliance boundaries ahead of the nationwide vote.
