France Sets April 2027 Date for Presidential Election

France will hold the first round of its next presidential election on April 18, 2027, with the runoff vote scheduled for May 2, according to an executive source, as President Emmanuel Macron prepares to leave office at the end of his second and final term.

The dates are expected to be formally approved during a meeting of the Council of Ministers, in line with the French Constitution, which requires the presidential election to be held between 20 and 35 days before the end of the incumbent president's mandate.

The election is widely expected to be a defining moment in French politics, with the far-right National Rally seeking to secure power after years of electoral gains.

Marine Le Pen is aiming to make a fourth bid for the French presidency, having finished third in the 2012 election before reaching the runoff against Macron in both 2017 and 2022. 

However, her candidacy remains uncertain pending the outcome of an appeal hearing scheduled for July 7 in a legal case linked to alleged misuse of European Parliament funds.

Should the appeals court overturn any ban on holding public office, Le Pen is expected to become the National Rally's presidential nominee. 

Polls have consistently indicated that the far-right party is well positioned to lead the first round of voting, although its final candidate has yet to be officially confirmed.

Macron, who was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2022, is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive presidential term, ensuring that France will have a new head of state following the 2027 election.