# Presidential election 2027: Why Macron threw his support behind judoka Teddy Riner’s presidential bid

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/presidential-election-2027-why-macron-threw-his-support-behind-judoka-teddy-riners-presidential-bid/
- Published: 2026-11-12T03:24:24+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T09:04:22+00:00
- Original publisher: Le Monde (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/politics/article/2026/11/12/presidential-election-2027-why-macron-threw-his-support-behind-judoka-teddy-riner-s-presidential-bid_6778378_5.html
- Topics: Elections, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Macron praised Teddy Riner’s bid for France’s 2027 presidency.
- Riner casts himself as an outsider and criticises the country’s direction.
- His candidacy could reshape competition among centrist hopefuls.

## Summary

Emmanuel Macron quickly welcomed judoka Teddy Riner’s announcement that he would run in France’s 2027 presidential election, comparing the athlete’s outsider image with his own rise to power. Macron’s endorsement could help Riner gain credibility, but it also ties him to a president with record-low popularity and risks upsetting other potential successors in Macron’s centrist camp.

Riner presents himself as outside established politics, saying France does not need a professional politician; he has also criticised the country’s debt, public mood and state authority. People linked to his campaign include former health minister François Braun and several figures with ties to Macron. With Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon leading the wider field, Macron’s allies see Riner as a possible way to attract voters across the centre and beyond, though the Elysée denies running a campaign through him.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.