French voters are expected to head to the polls on April 18 and May 2, 2027, to elect their next president. According to two government officials who spoke to the French press, President Emmanuel Macron’s term will officially end on May 13, 2027.
The two officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the decision publicly, said that French voters will cast their ballots in the first round on April 18, with a runoff scheduled for May 2.
The election dates were first reported by the French newspaper Ouest-France, and are expected to be officially announced following a Cabinet meeting.
Given the legal and constitutional constraints governing France’s presidential election calendar, the only other possible dates were April 11 and April 25. However, the selected dates place the election closer to the conclusion of President Emmanuel Macron’s second and final term on May 13.
Constitution Bars Macron from Seeking a Third Term
Under the French Constitution, Macron is not eligible to seek a third consecutive presidential term. As a result, several prominent political figures are already positioning themselves to succeed him.
Potential candidates include former prime ministers Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, as well as left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
According to Western media reports, the strongest contender is expected to be whichever candidate is nominated by the National Rally party. However, the party has yet to decide whether it will nominate its long-time leader Marine Le Pen or its rising star Jordan Bardella.
The decision is expected to depend on the outcome of Le Pen’s appeal against her conviction for embezzling European Union funds and the accompanying five-year ban on running for public office.