French Social Democrat Raphaël Glucksmann has strongly criticized President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to create a broad political coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election. According to him, such a union between the left and the right would discredit politics and create favorable conditions for the rise of populist formations, Agence France-Presse reports, as cited by France 24.
In an interview with the French weekly La Tribune Dimanche, Glucksmann, who is a presidential candidate from the social democratic camp, rejected the possibility of an alliance with right-wing politician David Lisnard, who was proposed as part of the future coalition.
“Let’s be serious. How could we even imagine for a second a merger between my political project and David Lisnard’s? This discredits politics,” Glucksmann said.
He stressed that he had never believed in the possibility of traditional left-wing and right-wing political forces erasing their differences. In his view, such an approach is dangerous for democracy because it paves the way for demagogues and populists.
Emmanuel Macron proposed that parties ranging from the social democratic left to the moderate right begin working together ahead of the presidential election in spring 2027. The aim is to prevent a possible run-off between candidates from the far-right National Rally and the radical-left La France Insoumise.
The idea, however, met with resistance both among opposition politicians and among Macron’s potential successors in the centrist camp, including former prime ministers Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal.
Glucksmann said that the democratic alternative to the far right must offer real change after Macron’s two presidential terms, rather than a continuation of the existing political model.
“I am convinced that the democratic alternative to the National Rally will be a proposal for change compared with Emmanuel Macron’s two five-year terms,” he said.
The Social Democrat also criticized Édouard Philippe over remarks concerning the participation of young people of immigrant origin in the unrest in France in October. According to Glucksmann, such wording contributes to reinforcing far-right insinuations in public debate.
He warned that political forces are increasingly adopting the language of the far right instead of defending their own democratic positions.
Raphaël Glucksmann also criticized Emmanuel Macron’s response following the racist attack in Trappes. According to him, the president should have organized a national rally after the attack instead of proposing political combinations ahead of the election.
The French head of state is not entitled to run for a third consecutive presidential term. Nevertheless, Macron is trying to influence the political realignment ahead of the 2027 vote, when strong competition is expected between the far right, the left and the centrist parties.