Former French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe used his first major presidential campaign rally in Paris to position himself as the main center-right alternative to the far right, accusing Marine Le Pen’s National Rally of presenting two different faces to voters as France moves toward the 2027 election.
Philippe, who leads the Horizons party and served as prime minister under Emmanuel Macron from 2017 to 2020, held the rally at the Adidas Arena in Paris on July 5. The event marked a more visible launch of his campaign, with thousands of supporters expected and a message aimed at consolidating moderates, conservatives and pro-government voters around his candidacy.
His speech targeted the National Rally at a sensitive moment. Marine Le Pen is awaiting a July 7 appeals court decision that could determine whether she is eligible to run in the 2027 presidential election. She was convicted in March 2025 over the misuse of European Parliament funds and received a five-year ban from public office, a sentence she is appealing.
Philippe’s attack on the far right reflected a broader strategy: to challenge the National Rally not only on ideology, but on credibility. By describing the movement as “two-faced,” he sought to portray Le Pen’s party as moderate in tone when seeking votes, but radical in its instincts and political culture. The line was also aimed at Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s protégé and current National Rally president, who could become the party’s candidate if Le Pen is barred from running.
The timing of the rally was crucial. France’s next presidential election is scheduled for April 2027, but the campaign is already being shaped by Le Pen’s legal uncertainty and by the question of who can block the far right from reaching power. The first round is set for April 18, 2027, with a runoff on May 2.
For Philippe, the challenge is not only to defeat the National Rally, but also to dominate a crowded center and center-right field. He must compete for political space with other figures from Macron’s camp and the traditional right, while trying to convince voters that he offers both stability and renewal after years of political fragmentation.
At the rally, Philippe promised to put France “back on the right track,” emphasizing fiscal repair, public authority and a major overhaul of schools. These themes are designed to appeal to voters worried about debt, social disorder and declining public services, while avoiding the harsher nationalist language of the far right.
The National Rally remains a powerful force despite Le Pen’s legal troubles. Polling and political analysis have shown the party leading or highly competitive in early 2027 scenarios, and Reuters has reported that some surveys suggest Bardella could perform as strongly as, or even better than, Le Pen in certain matchups.
Le Pen’s case has also placed the far right in an unusual position. If the court overturns or softens her sentence, she could continue her long-planned fourth presidential bid. If the ban is upheld, the party may be forced to accelerate a transition to Bardella, a younger and media-savvy figure who has helped broaden the party’s appeal but still faces questions about experience and policy depth.
Philippe’s rally therefore served two purposes: it formally energized his own campaign and framed the central battle he wants voters to see in 2027. Rather than allowing the presidential race to become a contest between the far right and the left, he is presenting himself as the responsible governing candidate capable of stopping National Rally while offering a conservative reform agenda.
Whether that message can break through remains uncertain. France’s political center has been weakened by Macron’s unpopularity and parliamentary instability, while the far right has become increasingly normalized in national politics. But Philippe’s opening rally made clear that he intends to make the fight against the National Rally a defining theme of his campaign — and to argue that behind its polished image lies a party still unfit to govern.
