From the Guardian · · 1m 40s
French centre left picks Glucksmann to fight Le Pen
Socialist party backs MEP as presidential candidate to challenge far right in 2027 election.
In brief
Socialist party backs MEP as presidential candidate to challenge far right in 2027 election. Raphaël Glucksmann, a forty-six-year-old MEP and founder of Place Publique, was chosen as the centre-left socialist candidate for France's twenty twenty-seven presidential election to challenge Marine Le Pen's far right…
Socialist party picks Glucksmann
Raphaël Glucksmann, a forty-six-year-old MEP and founder of Place Publique, won the centre-left primary held by the Socialist party on Monday to become their presidential candidate for twenty twenty-seven.
First time without own candidate
This marks the first time the Socialist party will not have its own presidential candidate since the party was founded in nineteen sixty-nine, after suffering two crushing defeats in the last two presidential elections.
Glucksmann calls for existential battle
Glucksmann told France Inter radio the country was living in a historic moment with the far right at the gates of power.
“like no other we have ever experienced”
Centre left must shed defeat
We've got to rid our hearts of the spirit of defeat, Glucksmann said on Monday morning. He said it would be unbearable to have a centre left that doesn't believe in victory.
“We've got to rid our hearts of the spirit of defeat”
Glucksmann trails Le Pen and others
Glucksmann is polling at between nine percent and fourteen percent, well behind frontrunner Marine Le Pen. He also trails centre-right contender Édouard Philippe and radical left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon, with whom he refuses to work.
Glucksmann's partner steps back
Glucksmann's partner, Léa Salamé, is the star presenter of the French public broadcaster's flagship evening news programme. She has stepped down from presenting the news while he runs for president.
In short
Raphaël Glucksmann, a forty-six-year-old MEP and founder of Place Publique, was chosen as the centre-left socialist candidate for France's twenty twenty-seven presidential election to challenge Marine Le Pen's far right.
