Raphaël Glucksmann, a 46-year-old member of the European Parliament and founder of the Place Publique party, has won the presidential primary organized by the French Socialists and their center-left allies. Glucksmann secured a decisive victory with 66.13% of the vote, positioning himself as the social-democratic candidate for the presidential election to succeed Emmanuel Macron.
This result establishes the EU lawmaker as the left's main alternative to hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon. With the election scheduled for April, Glucksmann has emerged as a major figure in the campaign for the presidency.
Following his win, Glucksmann urged the center-left to wage an existential battle to prevent Marine Le Pen and the far right from winning the 2027 presidential election. He called on supporters to rid their hearts of the spirit of defeat, stating on X that a left true to its values can unite, govern, and win.