Gabriel Attal officially announced on Friday that he will run in France’s 2027 presidential election, becoming one of the main centrist contenders seeking to succeed President Emmanuel Macron. The 37-year-old, who in 2024 became the youngest prime minister in French history, launched his campaign with a message focused on national renewal and opposition to what he described as the “managed decline” of French politics.
Attal’s candidacy immediately intensifies competition inside the pro-Macron political camp, where former prime minister Édouard Philippe is also positioning himself as a leading centrist candidate. “I can’t take this kind of French politics anymore, where it’s just 50 shades of managing decline,” he said.
In an effort to distance himself from Macron’s increasingly unpopular presidency, Attal launched his campaign from a small rural village in southern France rather than Paris. The move was widely seen as an attempt to counter criticism that Macron’s political movement has become disconnected from voters outside major urban centres. Attal has also tried to present himself as a tougher and more pragmatic figure on issues such as immigration, security and national identity.
Despite his popularity among younger centrist voters, critics argue that Attal remains too closely associated with Macron’s presidency to fully embody political change. France’s 2027 election is already shaping up as one of the most fragmented and unpredictable presidential races in decades, with multiple centrist, conservative, far-right, and left-wing figures preparing campaigns long before the official race begins.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally remains the most prominent right-wing contender, though she has faced legal complications over her eligibility. Bruno Retailleau, the former interior minister, is seen as the favoured candidate from the traditional conservative right, according to recent polling reported by Reuters.
Attal previously served as education minister before becoming prime minister in early 2024. He stepped down later that year after centrists suffered losses in snap parliamentary elections.
