Far-right politician Éric Zemmour enters France's presidential race

Éric Zemmour, leader of the French far-right party Reconquest, announced on Friday to broadcaster BFMTV that he will run in the 2027 presidential election. In the previous race, in 2022, he finished fourth.

Zemmour built his candidacy around promises of a tough approach to immigration. He said all foreign nationals who have broken the law should be deported, including those not serving prison sentences. He also said deportations should extend to undocumented immigrants, foreigners who have been unemployed for long periods, and people who rely solely on social benefits for income.

Le Pen remains the frontrunner

Zemmour's entry into the race comes as opinion polls currently point to former National Rally leader Marine Le Pen as the frontrunner. Le Pen has already run for president three times, and the 2027 election, with its first round scheduled for April 18, is widely seen as her best and possibly last chance to win the country's top office.

According to a poll published over the weekend by Le Monde, based on responses from more than 13,000 voters, former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe could face Le Pen in the runoff, set for May 2 — but only if his political ally, fellow candidate Gabriel Attal, withdraws from the race. If both remain in the contest simultaneously, it would boost the chances of left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon advancing to the second round.