The next French presidential election is to be held on Sunday April 18 2027 for the first round, then the Sunday 2 May 2027 pour le second tour. L’information a été officialisée par l’Élysée.
This schedule places the two rounds two weeks apart, in accordance with the usual procedure for presidential elections under the Fifth Republic. The election will determine the next President of the Republic for a five-year term.
The latest timetable was chosen
Two options were considered for holding the election: April 11 and 25, 2027, or April 18 and May 2, 2027. The second option was ultimately chosen. The selection of the dates was the subject of consultations between the Ministry of the Interior and the political parties. The final decision rests with the President of the Republic, with the countersignature of the government.
An official announcement is expected at the Council of Ministers meeting.
The dates are to be officially confirmed on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers meeting. This step will formally establish the electoral calendar and allow the administrative preparations for the vote to begin. Voters will be summoned by decree. For the presidential election, voters must be summoned at least ten weeks before the first round.
A strict constitutional framework
The Constitution precisely defines the period during which the presidential election must take place. The new president must be elected between the 35th and 20th day preceding the expiration of the incumbent president's term.
The second term ofEmmanuel Macron ending on May 14, 2027, the first round therefore had to be organised in a window between April 9 and April 24, 2027. In this period, only two Sundays were possible: April 11 or April 18.
Emmanuel Macron out of the race
Emmanuel Macron will not be able to run for another consecutive term. The Constitution limits the presidency to two consecutive terms. The 2027 election will therefore necessarily usher in a new political era, with the arrival of a new head of state at the Élysée Palace.
