Recent polls have shown Philippe in the best position to defeat anyone running from the far-right National Rally, which currently leads the polls but must wait to choose a candidate until an appeals court rules on Marine Le Pen’s embezzlement conviction. If the court bars Le Pen from running when it issues a ruling on July 7, National Rally President Jordan Bardella would run instead.
However, much can change between now and when voters head to the polls in less than a year. And Attal made it clear he believes he can win with a campaign focused on “optimism” that he believes France’s best days lie ahead.
“It will take hard work, it will require making choices, it will require making decisions, and it will require strength to act, but with that strength, everything is possible,” Attal said.
Attal’s decision to launch his campaign in the French countryside shows his desire to distance himself from the Parisian elite and the French capital where he grew up. In recent weeks, Attal, who was also minister of budget and education under Macron, has been visiting France on a book tour and visiting major European cities such as Athens, Brussels, Kyiv and The Hague.
With his announcement on Friday, Attal becomes France’s first high-profile gay presidential candidate. He acknowledged the historic importance of his bid for the Elysée in his speech by praising France as a republic that “allows each one of us to be treated as equal, regardless of our origin, regardless of our beliefs, regardless of the color of our skin, regardless of who we love.”
Despite leading Macron’s party, Attal and the president do not have a good understanding. The two fell out after Macron’s surprise decision to dissolve parliament in 2024. Attal, who was prime minister at the time, was not consulted and eventually had to step down as head of government.
And during the French political crisis in the summer of 2025, Attal said publicly He “no longer understands” Macron’s decisions and accused his former adviser of “wanting to hold on to power” despite losing early elections.
