The first change has occurred in Teddy Riner's political entourage, just four days after the announcement of his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. François Braun, former Minister of Health under Élisabeth Borne , has decided to step back from the team of the five-time Olympic champion. The information, revealed on Friday, November 13, by Libération, was confirmed that evening by Le Parisien. "The campaign has begun, I'm taking a step back," explained the former minister, without elaborating further on the reasons for this decision. This change is noteworthy given that François Braun was among the first political figures to publicly support the judoka's entry into the presidential race.
The former minister had, however, expressed his enthusiasm the day after the candidacy was announced. An emergency physician and former president of Samu-Urgences de France (the French emergency medical services organization), François Braun had notably praised Teddy Riner 's desire to transcend traditional political divides. He believed the champion could bring fresh ideas and unite French people with diverse perspectives. His experience in the healthcare sector appeared to be an asset for a candidacy led by someone who had never held political office. The decision to withdraw, therefore, came very early, even before Teddy Riner had presented his full platform or revealed the final composition of his team.
A withdrawal at the time of the first campaign visit to the hospital
This announcement coincides with the judoka's first campaign visit. On Friday, Teddy Riner went to the Delafontaine Hospital in Saint-Denis , Seine-Saint-Denis, to speak with healthcare workers about the challenges facing the healthcare system. The new candidate specifically wants to address waiting times, staffing shortages, and access to care. Following his visit, he explained that he wanted to listen directly to the professionals in order to further develop his platform with his team. Choosing to begin his campaign at a hospital gave significant prominence to healthcare issues, precisely those on which François Braun could contribute his governmental and professional experience.
The former minister's withdrawal comes at a time when Teddy Riner's entourage is already the subject of much scrutiny. Several figures who were part of the presidential majority have been linked to his initiative, leading some political leaders, notably the Socialist Patrick Kanner, to suspect that his candidacy was being encouraged by the Élysée Palace.
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