French socialist primary organizers announce televised debates

Organizers of the social-democratic primary for the 2027 French presidential election have announced a schedule of three televised debates. The debates are set for September 23 on LCI, October 1 on France 2 and France Inter, and a final session on BFMTV shortly before the first round of voting.

The primary, involving the Socialist Party (PS) and Place Publique, faces internal friction regarding candidate eligibility. Carole Delga, President of the Occitanie region and supporter of Raphaël Glucksmann, has rejected the participation of François Ruffin. Delga argues that the rules for the consultation were already voted on by approximately 15,000 militants and that Ruffin’s movement does not fall within the defined ‘European socialist pole’ required for the vote.

While the final candidate list will be finalized in mid-September, potential participants include Raphaël Glucksmann, Olivier Faure, Emmanuel Maurel, and Ségolène Royal. Other figures such as Philippe Brun, Jérôme Guedj, and Fabien Verdier have expressed interest, while Marine Tondelier has also mentioned a desire to participate.