Overview
- Bruno Retailleau has publicly proposed a right‑and‑centre primary with tentative dates of 31 January and 7 February and says entry should cost only a few euros.
- Retailleau is asking for a formal ‘form of loyalty’ that would see losers step back rather than fully endorse the winner and he has said he would withdraw rather than back Gabriel Attal.
- Édouard Philippe has repeatedly refused to submit to a primary and told Franceinfo he will not change his decision to stay out of the contest.
- Campaign teams for Retailleau, Gabriel Attal and David Lisnard are scheduled to meet on Tuesday 17 November to discuss the rules and format of a possible primary.
- A new OpinionWay poll giving David Lisnard about 10% has sharpened urgency for coordination because national polls show Marine Le Pen and Jean‑Luc Mélenchon leading, a split that could hand them an advantage and prompt other high‑profile figures to consider entering the race.