Marine Tondelier gives birth to son amid presidential campaign

Marine Tondelier, leader of the Les Écologistes party and a candidate for the French presidency, announced the birth of her second son, Léon, on September 18 in Lens. The birth occurred shortly after she attended a meeting at the Élysée Palace with President Emmanuel Macron regarding international conflicts.

Tondelier, 40, is the first presidential candidate in France to campaign while pregnant. She shared that the delivery went “very well” but noted she would need to “work differently” for a time to balance her political campaign with the needs of her newborn. She emphasized that her child’s health and well-being remain her priority.

The pregnancy follows a difficult personal journey for Tondelier, who has spoken openly about experiencing a miscarriage and unsuccessful attempts with assisted reproductive technologies, including IVF. She intends to use her campaign to advocate for reproductive health and parental leave policies.