France

France holds the first round of its presidential election on April 18, 2027. Six candidates are polling highest. Here is where each one stands on liberty, from their own words and actions.

Who should be the next president of France, and why?Say what you think. Other readers can answer you.Discuss

Marine Le Pen
National Rally group leader in the Assembly; declared candidate for president · National Rally
B
Liberty Score B
83 out of 100 across 9 measures, from what Le Pen has said and done.
Credited with 32 to 34% of first-round votes in the three scenarios reported from the Ifop-Fiducial barometer polled 25 to 29 September 2026.
Every line on Le Pen, with its source
Édouard Philippe
Mayor of Le Havre, former prime minister; declared candidate for president · Horizons
B+
Liberty Score B+
87 out of 100 across 8 measures, from what Philippe has said and done.
Credited with 16 to 21% of first-round votes in the Ifop-Fiducial barometer polled 25 to 29 September 2026, depending on whether Gabriel Attal also runs.
Every line on Philippe, with its source
Jean-Luc Mélenchon
Founder of France Unbowed; declared candidate for president, his fourth run · France Unbowed
F
Liberty Score F
16 out of 100 across 6 measures, from what Mélenchon has said and done.
Credited with 15 to 16% of first-round votes in the Ifop-Fiducial barometer polled 25 to 29 September 2026.
Every line on Mélenchon, with its source
Raphaël Glucksmann
Member of the European Parliament; declared, pending the left's October primary · Place publique
F
Liberty Score F
57 out of 100 across 7 measures, from what Glucksmann has said and done.
Credited with 11 to 13% of first-round votes in the Ifop-Fiducial barometer polled 25 to 29 September 2026, which tested him as the candidate of the Socialist Party and Place publique.
Every line on Glucksmann, with its source
Gabriel Attal
Renaissance leader and deputy, former prime minister; declared candidate for president · Renaissance
C
Liberty Score C
75 out of 100 across 6 measures, from what Attal has said and done.
Credited with 7 to 15% of first-round votes in the Ifop-Fiducial barometer polled 25 to 29 September 2026, the high figure being the scenario in which Édouard Philippe does not run.
Every line on Attal, with its source
Bruno Retailleau
Senator and Republicans leader; his party's designated candidate for president · The Republicans
A-
Liberty Score A-
92 out of 100 across 7 measures, from what Retailleau has said and done.
Credited with 7 to 10% of first-round votes in the Ifop-Fiducial barometer polled 25 to 29 September 2026.
Every line on Retailleau, with its source

Every letter on this page is an outline. It is a grade from what a politician has said and done, with a source for every line, on the same scale as the rest of the site.

Read the lines before you compare two letters. Someone who has governed has a long record, and more of it cuts both ways. Someone who has not is graded on what they say they will do, and a promise is easier than a decision.

Polled below 6% and not graded here: Marine Tondelier (Ecologists), Fabien Roussel (Communist Party), Éric Zemmour (Reconquête, not yet declared), David Lisnard, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan and a Lutte Ouvrière candidate; the Socialist and Place publique primary of 9 to 17 October 2026 could put Olivier Faure, Ségolène Royal, Jérôme Guedj or Emmanuel Maurel in Raphaël Glucksmann's place, and the official list is fixed only once sponsorships close in 2027.

Side by side

One line for each thing we measure. With liberty every time is an A. Against every time is an F. A record that goes both ways scores 50 out of 100, which is also an F, so the word under each name says which it is. A question mark means the record does not settle it. Tap a name to read the sources.

Ends the Islamic RepublicPressure on the regime in Tehran: sanctions, the Revolutionary Guard listed as terrorists, no deal that lets it survive.

ALe Penwith FMélenchonagainst AGlucksmannwith ?Attalnot clear ARetailleauwith

Stands with the Iranian peopleBacks the people of Iran against their rulers: the protesters, the prisoners, the opposition.

APhilippewith AGlucksmannwith ?Retailleaunot clear

Stands with IsraelTreats Israel as an ally, backs its right to defend itself, and opposes boycotts and arms embargoes.

ALe Penwith FMélenchonagainst FGlucksmannagainst ARetailleauwith

Stands with the free worldBacks Ukraine against Putin and Taiwan against Beijing, and keeps the alliance with the United States.

FLe Penagainst APhilippewith FMélenchonagainst AGlucksmannwith AAttalwith

A strong militaryFunds and equips the armed forces of the country.

ALe Penwith ?Philippenot clear AGlucksmannwith

Stops mass migrationSecures the border, enforces the law, and deports those who break it.

ALe Penwith APhilippewith FMélenchonagainst FGlucksmannagainst AAttalwith ARetailleauwith

Limits migration from Islamic countriesBacks limits and strict vetting for entry from Islamic countries.

ALe Penwith APhilippewith FAttalboth ways ARetailleauwith

Stops the Islamization of the WestActs against the Muslim Brotherhood, against supporters of Hamas, and against religious rule.

ALe Penwith ?Philippenot clear ?Mélenchonnot clear AAttalwith ARetailleauwith

Keeps religion out of lawNo religious law in government, and the same freedom for believers and non-believers.

APhilippewith AMélenchonwith

Free marketsLower taxes, less regulation, no price controls, and no to socialism.

FLe Penboth ways APhilippewith FMélenchonagainst FGlucksmannagainst AAttalwith ARetailleauwith

Free speechAgainst censorship, by government or at its request.

ALe Penwith FPhilippeagainst ?Mélenchonnot clear ?Glucksmannnot clear FAttalagainst FRetailleauboth ways

Against the woke leftAgainst race and gender ideology in schools, sports, the armed forces and the state.

APhilippewith

What France votes on next

Apr 182027
President, first round
Voters in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin and French Polynesia vote the day before, Saturday 17 April.
Which two candidates go through to the second round for President of the Republic, unless one wins outright.
All French citizens on the electoral roll vote for one candidate. To stand, a candidate must be sponsored by 500 elected officials. A candidate with more than half of the votes cast is elected at once; otherwise the two with the most votes meet two weeks later. President Macron cannot stand, because nobody may serve more than two terms in a row.
Source: Service-Public.fr, Élection 2027 : les dates de l'élection présidentielle Source: Conseil constitutionnel, Texte intégral de la Constitution du 4 octobre 1958 en vigueur
May 22027
President, second round
Held only if nobody wins more than half of the votes in the first round; the same overseas territories vote on Saturday 1 May.
The President of the Republic, elected for five years.
Only the two candidates who came first in the first round may stand, and the one with more votes wins. The president is elected for five years by direct vote.
Source: Service-Public.fr, Élection 2027 : les dates de l'élection présidentielle Source: Conseil constitutionnel, Texte intégral de la Constitution du 4 octobre 1958 en vigueur

Who is on this page: Every declared or party-designated candidate credited with 6% or more in the first round in the Ifop-Fiducial barometer for Le Figaro, LCI and Sud Radio, polled 25 to 29 September 2026, reported by Le Journal du Dimanche on 1 October 2026, strongest first, at most six people. Le Journal du Dimanche, Présidentielle : Marine Le Pen toujours loin en tête selon un nouveau sondage. LCP Assemblée nationale, Présidentielle: que proposent les candidats à l'Élysée sur les retraites?. Read on October 6, 2026. See something that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.

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