France’s centrists and conservatives are scattered, like the pieces of an unsolved puzzle. Just 15 months before the 2027 presidential election, the fragile assemblage of centrist and right-wing parties that have governed together since the snap elections of 2024 has not formally considered a joint candidate. With Bruno Retailleau, president of the conservative Les Républicains (LR) party, the latest figure to announce a bid, the stage is set for Renaissance, MoDem (both centrist), Horizons (center-right) and LR to display their disunity.

Retailleau joins the many other figures from those parties vying for the succession of President Emmanuel Macron: Edouard Philippe, mayor of Le Havre, is already campaigning, and Renaissance leader Gabriel Attal is expected to announce his candidacy after the March municipal elections. Xavier Bertrand, LR president of a northern region, who openly opposes Retailleau and his staunchly conservative positions, sees himself as a potential “outsider” candidate, while Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has said he is “considering” a possible candidacy.

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