Teddy Riner announces he will run in the 2027 French presidential election

On Monday 9 November 2026, judoka Teddy Riner announced that he would stand in the 2027 French presidential election. He made the announcement in a video posted on X, speaking directly to the camera.

Riner, a multiple Olympic and world champion and one of France's best-known athletes, had not previously been seen as a political figure. His move was therefore widely described as a surprise. He presented his bid under the slogan "La France que l'on veut" ("The France we want"), and said that resignation was not an option.

The announcement prompted a wave of reactions across the political spectrum. Emmanuel Macron, who cannot seek a third consecutive term, was reported to have welcomed the candidacy.

It mattered because it brought a political outsider, with no record in elected office, into a race that parties were already preparing for. How far his popularity as an athlete could translate into votes became a central question in the months that followed.