Bruno Retailleau, former interior minister and current leader of the Republicans (LR), officially announced his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election on Thursday.
In a speech announcing his bid, Retailleau stated that his decision was driven by a “sense of duty” rather than an obsession with power. He emphasized the need for France to “put its own house in order” to effectively manage global instability and domestic challenges.
He vowed to use referendums as mechanisms to enact new legislation. He would start with a vote “to drastically reduce immigration” because “beyond a certain number, a multicultural society always becomes a multi-conflict society,” he said.
In a letter to his party colleagues, he described his candidacy as “a decision I have thought through carefully.”
Retailleau enters the race at a time when President Emmanuel Macron is ineligible to seek a third term. Throughout his political career, he has maintained a tough-on-crime and anti-immigration stance, frequently advocating for law, order, and justice.
