Overview
- Édouard Philippe publicly rejected the idea of a joint centre‑right primary and told rivals to take their decisions by February, a stance he restated on television that Sunday.
- Gabriel Attal replied that a primary is unavoidable to prevent a second round between Marine Le Pen and Jean‑Luc Mélenchon and said he would push to hold one even if Philippe stayed out, setting early 2027 as his limit.
- Senior figures are divided over the method and who to include, with supporters of a primary including François Bayrou, David Lisnard, Michel Barnier and Aurore Bergé and opponents such as Gérald Darmanin and Jean‑François Copé arguing it is too late.
- Practical pressures are sharpening the dispute because Philippe’s polling lead has weakened, David Lisnard has risen in tests, and formal candidacy rules and the March filing period make February an operational deadline for consolidation or selection.
- If no agreement is reached, rival campaigns may try private withdrawals or contested selection fights, a choice that could deepen voter mistrust of backroom deals and shape whether the centre‑right can present a single alternative to the extremes.