PARIS — The first round of voting for the French presidential election is scheduled for April 18, 2027.

A Paris appeals court shortened a ban on seeking elected office that had been imposed on Marine Le Pen for embezzlement on July 1, 2026. Marine Le Pen is 58 years old.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon placed third in the 2022 French presidential election first round. He previously placed fourth in the 2017 and 2012 French presidential election first rounds. Edouard Philippe served as prime minister under Emmanuel Macron.

Raphaël Glucksmann is a member of the European Parliament. Marine Tondelier is the leader of the Ecologists party.

Why It Matters

The 2027 election marks the first open contest since Emmanuel Macron's initial victory, as he is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive presidential term. The National Rally's position as the largest party in the lower house of the French parliament since 2024 reflects the shifting political landscape. Marine Le Pen's status as the front-runner in polls, despite legal challenges regarding embezzlement convictions, shows the continued influence of her party. The fragmentation of the left-wing vote, with multiple candidates including Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Olivier Faure entering the race, complicates the potential for a unified opposition.

Timeline

On April 21, 2002, Jean-Marie Le Pen qualified for the second round of the 2002 French presidential election. There were 16 candidates in the first round of the 2002 French presidential election.

On July 1, 2024, the National Rally became the largest party in the lower house of the French parliament. On July 1, 2026, a Paris appeals court shortened a ban on seeking elected office that had been imposed on Marine Le Pen for embezzlement. On August 31, 2026, Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure declared his candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election.

What's New

Research titled "French election: as Marine Le Pen makes it to second round, the left-wing vote is what troubles president Emmanuel Macron" was published in 2022. The United Left primary is scheduled for October 11, 2026, although the prospect of a unified candidacy remains uncertain, as both LFI and the Socialist Party are likely to field their own separate candidates.org. Marine Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement of European Parliament funds in March 2025 and was sentenced at first instance to five years of ineligibility with immediate effect, preventing her from running in upcoming elections.org. Marine Le Pen was elected as president of the National Front in 2011 with 67.6% of the vote, defeating Bruno Gollnisch and succeeding her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. Marine Le Pen expelled her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, from the National Front in 2015 after he made controversial remarks, including Holocaust denial, and distanced the party from his extremist legacy. Marine Le Pen rebranded the National Front as Rassemblement National (National Rally) in 2018, marking a strategic shift to broaden the party’s appeal and distance it from its far-right image. Polls indicate Marine Le Pen is polling between 35% and 38% in national voter surveys for the 2027 election.