Overview
- Lisnard formally relaunched the proposal in a Le Monde tribune published Tuesday, August 25, 2026, calling for “a large open primary” to designate one candidate for the centre and the right.
- He bases the appeal on a Harris Interactive‑Toluna poll reported for M6 and RTL that shows no clear centre‑right leader and finds Jean‑Luc Mélenchon able to reach the second round in multiple scenarios.
- Major centre‑right figures contacted so far have rejected the idea of a new primary, but Senate President Gérard Larcher and other institutional voices have offered qualified backing.
- Lisnard invokes the 2016 open primary, which drew more than four million voters, saying a similar vote would give a nominee popular legitimacy and prevent vote‑splitting that could cost the bloc the presidency.
- Coverage emphasizes different angles: some outlets stress the poll’s strategic warning, others note Lisnard’s bid for a national platform, and the next steps to watch are whether leading candidates change course or any party agrees to organise a primary.