The French president has remained vague about his future plans. Asked in May about a potential 2032 run during a major primetime interview, Macron said he “hadn’t thought” about pursuing a third term. However, a report from a parliamentary investigative committee revealed that the government had commissioned a poll the day after the interview testing the public’s response to a possible Macron candidacy in 2032. Such polls are not commissioned by the presidency but the results are forwarded to the Elysée.
Macron’s approval rating currently stands close to an all-time low, according to a tracker from pollster Elabe, with just 22 percent of French voters surveyed saying they trust the president to lead the country.
The French president is also under growing pressure to prove he isn’t a lame duck. His influence over domestic politics has waned since his decision to call snap elections last summer, which resulted in his coalition losing control of parliament and ushering in a year of political gridlock in France.
With the countdown to the next presidential election gradually beginning, presidential hopefuls within Macron’s own camp are starting to position themselves. Just minutes before Macron’s speech. former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who now leads the president’s party, Renaissance, strongly hinted he would run for president in 2027.
But Macron expressed frustration over all the speculation regarding the next presidential contest. He warned against “spending the next two years talking about 2027” rather than finding ways to address France’s challenges immediately.