François Hollande continues his rise to power ahead of the 2027 presidential election. In an interview given to MarianneThen, in a video published the following day, the former head of state explains that he intends "prepare" for a deadline he presents as crucial. At the same time, he clearly dismisses the idea of a primary on the left, even though this issue continues to divide the socialists and their allies.
François Hollande takes another step towards 2027
After repeatedly hinting at a possible candidacy for several weeks, François Hollande chose to go further this week. In the pages of Marianne, the former president stated "prepare”, before further clarifying his thoughts in a video released yesterday.
Without officially entering the campaign, the former head of state is now more clearly positioning himself for 2027. This statement marks an evolution in his communication strategy, as he leaves less and less room for doubt about his political intentions.
The former president emphasizes his experience
François Hollande insists on his past at the Élysée Palace. “I have already been president, I did not run for re-election in 2017”, argues François Hollande in Marianne, where he is photographed with a rose in his hand.
The former president also added: “I do not have a passionate relationship with power, but with France.”
This statement contrasts with that of December 2016, when he had said “aware of the risks that would be posed by an approach (…) which would not bring together a broad range of people around it”, while already regretting “the fragmentation of the left”.
A clear opposition to the primary of the non-Mélenchonist left
François Hollande also used this interview to attack the idea of a primary for the non-Mélenchonist left, defended in particular by the ecologist Marine Tondelier and by the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure.
"It doesn't make sense."he decided, arguing that the discrepancies in "line" and "project" The differences between the various contenders are too significant for such a procedure to result in a truly coherent candidacy.
With this statement, the former president distances himself from a part of the left that continues to advocate for a common nomination mechanism, hoping to avoid another fragmentation in the first round of the presidential election.
The debate over a joint candidacy continues to divide the socialists.
The idea of a single left-wing candidate remains far from being a consensus. Within the Socialist Party, a significant portion of leaders and activists do not want to hear of an open primary with other left-wing forces.
The process of selecting a joint candidate may therefore never come to fruition. A good half of the Socialists remain opposed to it and could put Olivier Faure in the minority on this issue. This internal division further complicates the party's strategy as 2027 approaches.
