Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure has confirmed he is running for the French presidency, announcing his candidacy in an autumn social-democratic primary during a live broadcast on TF1 on Sunday, August 30.
Speaking on the network's 8 p.m. news bulletin, the First Secretary of the Socialist Party confirmed plans he had previously shared with party deputies, declaring that his ambition is to lead a fairer France and prevent the far right from winning power next year.
Faure is entering a primary contest organized for the autumn by the Socialist Party and Place publique, the political movement led by Raphaël Glucksmann. Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament who has also declared his candidacy for the presidency on TF1, currently leads Faure in opinion polls.
The Socialist Party has historically served as one of the main governing parties of the French Republic, while Place publique represents a younger center-left movement focused on European integration and social reform. The network's 8 p.m. news bulletin on Sunday evening is traditionally the nation's most widely watched political showcase, frequently chosen by candidates to launch major national campaigns.
Dismissal of polling predictions
When asked why he was running despite trailing his primary opponent in public opinion surveys, Faure dismissed the significance of early polling numbers. He argued that if elections were decided by polls, past political figures such as Raymond Barre, Édouard Balladur, Alain Juppé, and François Fillon would have all reached executive office.
Faure also cited former Socialist president François Hollande to illustrate how political fortunes can shift unexpectedly. He added that nothing in French political life ever happens as predicted by survey analysts, asserting that voters rather than pollsters should decide the outcome of an election.
The French presidential election uses a two-round voting system to choose the head of state for a five-year term at the Élysée Palace. Former prime ministers Barre, Balladur, Juppé, and Fillon all held prominent positions in French government before seeing their presidential ambitions derailed despite strong early poll standings.
Social origins and political background
To distinguish himself from Glucksmann, the Val-de-Marne deputy highlighted his working-class upbringing and personal history. Faure explained that his political commitment grew out of a childhood spent in a working-class neighborhood, where he witnessed economic hardship and saw work that failed to yield fair compensation.
Describing himself as a child of the middle class who has never forgotten where he came from, Faure noted that he is also a child of immigration. He explained that these experiences led him to enter politics at a very young age specifically to fight against racism.
Faure has represented the department of Val-de-Marne in the National Assembly since 2012 and took leadership of the Socialist Party as First Secretary in 2018. The department, located just south-east of Paris, includes diverse suburban communities with a mix of working-class housing and middle-income neighborhoods.
Strategy on left-wing alliances
Faure also set out a distinct stance regarding relations with La France insoumise and its prominent leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Addressing the possibility of an alliance during the presidential campaign, Faure noted that because both he and Mélenchon are presidential candidates, no formal agreement is possible between them.
The Socialist leader stressed that voters will ultimately decide between the competing left-wing candidates. He emphasized that his primary obsession is ensuring that the heiress of the Le Pen dynasty does not take office at the Élysée Palace next year, insisting that his campaign is focused on fighting the right and the far right rather than engaging in internal battles on the left.
Faure expressed frustration with left-wing politicians who focus exclusively on internal rivalries within their own political camp. His approach marks a clear contrast with Glucksmann, who maintains a far more categorical refusal to enter any alliance with La France insoumise, a left-wing party known for its confrontational stance toward center-left politics.
Economic and social proposals
Outlining the initial policy priorities of his campaign, Faure focused on education, economic fairness, and environmental standards. He called for measures to guarantee that every child in France can start school on a full stomach, alongside an initiative to provide outdoor discovery trips for all school pupils.
On economic policy, Faure proposed restricting corporate payout practices, stating that companies should be barred from distributing dividends to shareholders unless they actively commit to energy renovation. He also called for an immediate increase to the Smic, France's national minimum wage.
The Smic is France's statutory minimum wage, adjusted regularly by the government to reflect inflation and economic conditions. With the social-democratic primary scheduled for the autumn, Faure will now prepare to present his platform to voters across France as the primary campaign begins.
