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French political coalition disputes and election shifts

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2026-09-11 06:22 UTC → 2026-09-11 07:53 UTC · added ~~removed~~

French political leaders continue to experience friction regarding potential alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Édouard Philippe, leader of the Horizons party, has advocated for a broad political gathering ~~in early November~~ to find common ground between centrist and right-wing factions, such as MoDem and New Energy, warning that division would prevent victory. He has specifically proposed forming a committee to explore programmatic convergences. This proposal for a centrist-right alliance has met resistance from other prominent figures. Bruno Retailleau of Les Républicains rejected the call, arguing that the election cannot be won by extending the Macronist experience and instead focusing on identity-driven proposals. Additionally, former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal dismissed the urgency of the proposal, suggesting that political offerings must be defined before discussing unity. Recent polling from Odoxa-Backbone indicates that 70% of right and center voters favor a primary to select a single candidate, with Philippe, Retailleau, and Attal emerging as the most prominent figures. Philippe currently leads among supporters of both the center and the right. While the political landscape remains dominated by the presence of Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, ~~other developments include~~ François Bayrou ~~confirming~~ has reaffirmed he will not run for president. As the 2027 presidential race progresses, attention has also turned to the senatorial elections scheduled for September 27. The Rassemblement National (RN) is preparing for this vote, aiming to secure at least 10 seats to form its first parliamentary group in the Senate. The election will renew 178 of the 348 seats in the upper house, involving a college of 93,000 local elected officials.

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