Politics · France · 14 hrs ago
François Fillon backs Bruno Retailleau for France's 2027 presidential race
François Fillon has backed Bruno Retailleau for France’s 2027 presidential election.
Fillon, a former prime minister and the right-wing candidate in 2017, made the endorsement at a political gathering in Avignon.
Retailleau leads the Republicans, a major conservative party, and is seeking the party’s presidential nomination.
Fillon called him the only credible candidate clearly on the right and urged a broad alliance among right-wing groups.
Fillon had backed Valérie Pécresse in the 2022 election, and his 2017 campaign was shaken by a case over his wife’s paid work; he was later definitively convicted in that case.
The endorsement comes as Retailleau faces competition from other potential candidates, including David Lisnard, who recently overtook him in one poll.
The gathering did not settle who will represent the Republicans, and the party’s choice for 2027 remains ahead.
François Fillon endorsed Bruno Retailleau’s bid for France’s 2027 presidential election.
Fillon called Retailleau the only credible candidate clearly on the right.
He made the endorsement in a speech at an event hosted by the Oser la France movement in Avignon.
Fillon said he wanted a broad gathering of the right to help bring about a national recovery.
The endorsement came as a poll reported that David Lisnard had moved ahead of Retailleau.
- Who
- François Fillon endorsed Bruno Retailleau, the leader of The Republicans.
- What
- Fillon backed Retailleau’s candidacy for the 2027 presidential election.
- When
- Saturday, 17 October 2026.
- Where
- At an Oser la France event in Avignon.
- Why
- Fillon said Retailleau was a credible candidate on the right who could unite the right and bring about a national recovery.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Fillon was the right-wing candidate in France’s presidential election.
Fillon said Valérie Pécresse was the only viable path to political change.
Fillon praised Retailleau as an “anti-Macron” in an interview with Le Figaro.
Fillon endorsed Retailleau at an Oser la France event in Avignon.
- Endorsed candidate
- Bruno Retailleau
- Endorser
- François Fillon, former prime minister of France
- Election
- France’s 2027 presidential election
- Event location
- Avignon
- Event organiser
- Oser la France, a movement associated with Julien Aubert
3 sources
"Le seul candidat crédible clairement à droite": Bruno Retailleau reçoit le soutien de François Fillon
Présidentielle 2027 : François Fillon apporte son soutien à Bruno Retailleau, « seul candidat crédible qui soit clairement à droite »
Vaucluse. François Fillon lance un appel « au rassemblement à droite » depuis Avignon
What people are saying
He is the only credible candidate who is clearly on the right, who has never changed his convictions and who is capable of generating a broad gathering of the right, without which no recovery will be possible.
I see only one candidacy capable of bringing about the national recovery: that of Bruno Retailleau.
My goal is to bring together all those who have a national conception of the country and, at the same time, a liberal conception of the economy.
This presidential election is not a reality TV show.
Posts on X
🔴 @FrancoisFillon soutient @BrunoRetailleau « Je ne vois qu’une candidature capable d’engager le sursaut national : celle de Bruno Retailleau. C’est le seul candidat crédible, clairement à droite, fidèle à ses convictions, et capable de rassembler largement les droites. » 📍