More than 200 French mayors, parliamentarians, former ministers, and local officials have published an open letter calling for an open primary to select a single candidate for the right and centre ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The tribune was published in the French newspaper Le Figaro on Wednesday, August 26. High-profile signatories include Normandy regional president and former defense minister Hervé Morin of Les Centristes, deputy Charles de Courson of the Liot parliamentary group, and Les Républicains mayor of La Baule Franck Louvrier.
In the open letter, the signatories urged all candidates, political parties, and leaders across the right and centre to commit without delay to organizing a fair, open, and indisputable primary. They demanded that all participants agree in advance to respect the final outcome and unite behind the eventual winner, adding that history would remember who rose to the occasion.
The authors warned that the current trajectory of the campaign would inevitably cause a dispersion of votes in the first round and lead to total political disappearance in the second round. They argued that the runoff election risks becoming a political and programmatic impasse between the far left and the far right, despite a clear majority of French citizens seeking a moderate alternative.
Rival candidates split on primary proposal
The call comes as four prominent figures from the right and centre have already declared or launched campaigns for the 2027 presidential race. The contenders include former prime ministers Édouard Philippe of the Horizons party and Gabriel Attal of Renaissance, alongside Les Républicains figure Bruno Retailleau and Cannes mayor David Lisnard of Nouvelle Énergie, who also serves as president of the Association of French Mayors.
Reactions to the proposal for a unifying primary remain sharply divided among the candidates. Speaking on BFMTV, Retailleau stated that he had no objection in principle to holding a primary election, a position echoed by Lisnard, who has actively advocated for the process. Conversely, Philippe and Attal have both rejected the idea of a primary up to this point.
High stakes for the 2027 presidential race
The push for unity reflects growing concern over vote splitting under the French electoral system, where only the two highest-placed candidates in the first round advance to the decisive second-round runoff. With President Emmanuel Macron constitutionally barred from running for a third consecutive term in 2027, rival factions within the centre and traditional right face intense pressure to consolidate their voting base.
Concerns over conservative fragmentation have been reinforced by recent polling data reported in French media. A barometre survey conducted by broadcaster LCI indicated that National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is currently projected to win the second-round runoff in every tested matchup scenario.
