Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally (RN), is polling as high as 38% for the first round, according to multiple reports. A poll of 11,000 voters published in Le Monde shows 36% of respondents would be satisfied if Bardella were elected president. On the left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon announced he will run for president for the fourth time, but faces controversy.
Leading Socialist party figures have accused him of 'intolerable antisemitism', and he has refused to dissociate himself from a militant group implicated in the videoed kicking to death of a young far-right activist. Left-wing voters gathered in Paris chanting 'Unity! ' to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Popular Front.
Left-wing parties vowed to hold a primary race for a united candidate in October 2025. About 30 figures have expressed interest in running for president. Potential centre-right and left candidates include Edouard Philippe, who was re-elected mayor of Le Havre, and Gabriel Attal, with polls showing them scoring between 10% and 16% in voting intentions.
Bruno Retailleau is a declared candidate for Les Républicains, according to reports. On the left, Raphaël Glucksmann and former president François Hollande are considering running. In a four-candidate scenario, Mélenchon and Glucksmann would each get around 10-12% of the vote, while Marine Tondelier and Fabien Roussel would score below 5%.
Hollande's approval rating dropped to 4% during his presidency, making him the least popular French president since WWII. Bardella's personal life has drawn attention: he is in a relationship with Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a model and influencer. The magazine Paris-Match published a story about the relationship, which an anonymous journalist at France Info described as a sign of support from owner Bernard Arnault.
Arnault, CEO of LVMH, and other business leaders recently had a dinner with Marine Le Pen, and a lunch between Bardella and business leaders is scheduled for the following Monday. Some business leaders warn that a National Rally takeover would damage France's market image.