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2027 Presidential Election: Focus on Action, Not Breaking from Macronism, Says Édouard Philippe

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Édouard Philippe, president of the Horizons party, stated that the focus for the 2027 presidential election should be on action, not on breaking from Macronism.
  • Philippe emphasized a continuity of policy that began before Emmanuel Macron, particularly in defense and European construction.
  • He positions himself as an independent candidate, seeking a broad coalition of the right and center, and plans his first major campaign rally for July 5.

Édouard Philippe, president of the Horizons party and a potential candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, has articulated his political stance, asserting that the core issue for the next head of state will be "to do," rather than whether to break from or adhere to Macronism. Philippe, speaking in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, stressed that his approach is rooted in a "form of continuity that began well before Emmanuel Macron," citing areas such as defense and European integration.

The subject is not to break or not to break, it is to do.

— Édouard PhilippeDescribing his approach to the 2027 presidential election and his relationship with Macronism.

Philippe, who served as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2020, pointed to policies implemented during his tenure, such as deficit reduction, enhancing France's attractiveness for job creation, lowering unemployment, reindustrializing the country, transforming the labor market, and developing apprenticeships, as steps in the right direction. However, he also highlighted a distinct view on the exercise of power, suggesting that recent presidents have sought to govern as much as to preside, a dynamic he does not see as his own interpretation of French institutions.

in a form of continuity that began well before Emmanuel Macron

— Édouard PhilippeExplaining his policy alignment and historical perspective.

Positioning himself as "a free man" who is neither an heir nor someone who disavows his past, Philippe is navigating a potentially crowded political field. He acknowledges other potential contenders, such as Gabriel Attal and Bruno Retailleau, but implies that their sense of responsibility will lead them to step aside if he gains a significant lead in the polls. Current projections place him between 15% and 19% of voter intentions for the first round.

I am neither an heir nor someone who disavows himself, but a free man who knows what he has done, what he assumes, what he wants to change.

— Édouard PhilippeDefining his independent political identity.

Philippe's strategy centers on building "a grand gathering of the right and the center." He plans to hold his first major campaign rally on July 5 at the Adidas Arena in Paris, signaling his intent to mobilize support for his presidential bid.

to win and to move the country forward, a great gathering of the right and the center is necessary.

— Édouard PhilippeOutlining his strategy for the presidential election.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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