Jérôme Guedj Announces Independent Run for 2027 French Presidency, Skips Left-Wing Primary

On February 5, 2026, Jérôme Guedj, a 54-year-old socialist deputy, declared his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election in France, choosing to run independently outside the scheduled left-wing primary. He stated that his campaign will represent a republican, European, secular, universalist, social, and ecological left.

Guedj emphasized his commitment to fundamental values, asserting in a France Inter interview, “We do not compromise with the Republic, we do not compromise with laïcité or universalism, and we are uncompromising in the fight against racism and anti-Semitism.” He aims to embody "the courage of nuance" and criticized the upcoming primary organized by the Socialist Party and environmentalists as “baroque,” suggesting it lacks principled clarity.

The primary slated for October 11, 2026, already faced withdrawals from major left figures such as Raphaël Glucksmann of Place publique, Jean-Luc Mélenchon from La France insoumise, and the French Communist Party, who will not participate. Guedj’s decision to bypass this primary positions him as an alternative voice on the left, focusing on a strong republican and secularist agenda amid a fractured left-wing landscape.

His campaign emphasizes combating racism and antisemitism, reflecting his broader message of defending France’s republican ideals while advocating for ecological and social progress independently from the coalition primary process.