FRA9 · 02/09/2026 · French politics
France’s 2027 presidential election: dates, candidates and voting
The first round will be held on 18 April 2027 and the run-off on 2 May. As of 2 September 2026 several figures are declared or expected to run, but none is yet an official candidate: the final list depends on the Constitutional Council’s validation of 500 endorsements.
The first round will be held on 18 April 2027 and the run-off on 2 May. As of 2 September 2026 several figures are declared or expected to run, but none is yet an official candidate: the final list depends on the Constitutional Council’s validation of 500 endorsements.
Two rounds on 18 April and 2 May 2027
France will hold the first round of its presidential election on Sunday 18 April 2027 and a second round on Sunday 2 May if no candidate wins an absolute majority of valid votes cast. Several overseas territories west of mainland France vote one day earlier so national results are not available before their local polling stations close.
What voters are actually deciding
The president is directly elected for a five-year term. Blank and invalid ballots are not included in the valid votes used to calculate an absolute majority. If nobody passes 50% in round one, only the two leading candidates advance to the run-off two weeks later; the Constitutional Council supervises the process and formally proclaims the results.
There are no official candidates yet
As of 2 September 2026, France has declared hopefuls, likely contenders and internal party-selection processes, but no official candidate list. Édouard Philippe, Gabriel Attal, Marine Le Pen, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Bruno Retailleau, Raphaël Glucksmann and Marine Tondelier are among the figures already running or central to the public contest. That snapshot can change: only the Constitutional Council’s validated list is official.
The 500 endorsements are a legal filter
A prospective candidate needs at least 500 endorsements from eligible elected representatives to reach the ballot. They must come from at least 30 départements or overseas collectivities, and no more than 50 may come from one territory. A public declaration, party nomination or strong opinion poll therefore never substitutes for constitutional validation.
Check voter registration before March
The presidential vote is open to French citizens who are at least 18 by the day before polling and retain their civil and political rights. The reference calendar gives 12 March 2027 as the ordinary registration deadline, with limited exceptions for specific circumstances. The Interior Ministry’s official service can already confirm municipality, polling station and national voter number.
Voting abroad, overseas and by proxy
French citizens living abroad should check whether they are registered on a consular electoral list or in a French municipality and confirm where they will vote. A proxy can be arranged when a voter cannot attend, although the proxy holder casts the ballot at the voter’s polling station. Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin and French Polynesia normally vote on the Saturday before each national round.
The calendar that makes the race official
Restrictions on institutional communication and paid political advertising begin on 1 October 2026. The decree convening voters is due by 7 February 2027, and endorsements must arrive by 18:00 on 12 March. The official list must be published no later than 26 March; the regulated broadcast campaign then begins on Monday 5 April before voting on 18 April and 2 May.
Manifestos, official statements and polls
Campaign proposals and official candidate statements should not be confused with preliminary announcements or social-media summaries. Once the field is validated, a national commission regulates documents sent to voters. A poll measures opinion at a stated date using a stated method; it is neither an advance result nor proof that a person will qualify for the second round.
The next reliable checkpoints
The next fixed milestone is the decree convening voters, due no later than 7 February 2027. Registration and endorsement cut-offs follow on 12 March, the Constitutional Council’s list by 26 March and the official campaign on 5 April. Use Interior Ministry services for voting steps and the Constitutional Council alone to confirm who has actually qualified as a candidate.
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