Guide
Understanding France's 2027 presidential election
The essentials in a few minutes, for anyone new to French politics. Each part names its official source.
The election in brief
French voters elect the President of the Republic directly, for five years. No one may serve more than two consecutive terms. Each voter chooses one candidate.
A candidate who wins more than half of the valid votes in the first round is elected. Otherwise, the two leading candidates face each other in a second round two weeks later.
Sources: info.gouv.fr — how the election works · Constitution
What the President does
The President is head of state. They safeguard the Constitution, represent France abroad and are commander-in-chief of the armed forces. They appoint the Prime Minister and may, under the conditions the Constitution sets, call a referendum or dissolve the National Assembly.
The Government, led by the Prime Minister, determines and conducts national policy. Parliament — the National Assembly and the Senate — passes laws and scrutinises the Government.
Sources: info.gouv.fr — the President's role · Constitution, arts. 20, 21 and 24
The 2027 calendar
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| 12 March 2027 | Deadline to register to vote · sponsorships close |
| 26 March 2027 | Official list of candidates published, at the latest |
| 18 April 2027 | First round (Saturday 17 April in several overseas territories) |
| 2 May 2027 | Second round (Saturday 1 May in the same territories) |
Source: info.gouv.fr — 2027 presidential election
Becoming a candidate
- Be at least 18, a French voter, and able to exercise civil and political rights.
- Gather 500 sponsorships from elected officials (mayors, members of parliament, departmental and regional councillors…), from at least 30 departments or overseas authorities, with no more than 50 from any one of them.
- File a declaration of assets and a declaration of interests with the Constitutional Council.
The Constitutional Council checks the sponsorships and draws up the official list of candidates, published in the Journal officiel. Before that list, a candidacy is only declared.
Source: info.gouv.fr — conditions for standing
Who can vote
Voters must be French, aged 18 and registered on an electoral roll. For the first round, the registration deadline is Friday 12 March 2027. Voting by proxy is possible, notably through Maprocuration, at a police or gendarmerie station or at a consulate.
Source: info.gouv.fr — 2027 presidential election
How votes are counted
« Suffrages exprimés » (valid votes) are the votes cast for a candidate. Blank and invalid ballots are counted separately: they do not count towards the majority. Abstaining means not voting; it is not the same as casting a blank ballot.
Source: info.gouv.fr — how the election works
Polls and the law
Every published election poll must state, among other things, the pollster, who commissioned it, the number of people questioned, the dates, the wording of the questions and the margins of error; its notice is filed with the Commission des sondages.
No poll may be published, broadcast or commented on from midnight on the Saturday before the vote until the last polling station closes in metropolitan France: from 17 April 2027 to the evening of 18 April, then from 1 May to the evening of 2 May.
Source: Law no. 77-808 of 19 July 1977, arts. 2, 3 and 11 — Légifrance
A short glossary
- Parrainage (sponsorship)
- An elected official's signature putting a candidate forward. 500 are needed.
- Suffrages exprimés
- Votes cast for a candidate, excluding blank and invalid ballots.
- Tour (round)
- The first vote, then a second between the top two if nobody has a majority.
- Scenario (poll)
- The list of candidates put to respondents.
- Notice
- A poll's detailed sheet, published by the Commission des sondages.
Official texts read on 24 and 25 October 2026.