Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe briefly shook hands at the Radical Party congress, calling for reunification but failing to resolve tensions ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe meet
At the 126th congress of the Radical Party in Dijon on Sunday, Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe, both vying to be the presidential candidate for 2027, had a brief handshake. Both men emphasized the need for "reunification" among center-left and center-right parties, but did not reach a resolution on the issue.Attal outlines his reunification vision
Gabriel Attal stated he supports the idea of the broadest possible reunification, suggesting it is possible to unite groups ranging from social democrats to the republican right. He addressed nearly 200 supporters and members of the Radical Party, who presented their "manifesto" for the presidential election.Framework for discussions established
Attal referred to the framework of discussions created last March, which brings together representatives of the different parties in the center bloc, but not at the level of candidates. This framework aims to foster collaboration without direct competition between potential candidates.Philippe warns against mechanical reunification
Speaking after Attal, Édouard Philippe acknowledged the need for reunification in the coming months but warned against a "mechanical and accounting addition of partisan apparatuses." He emphasized what unites the groups on substance: defense of European construction, a regulated market economy, the authority of the state, attachment to secularism, and the universalist character of the Republic.Philippe rejects center bloc primary
Philippe reiterated his refusal of a primary for the center bloc, a process that leads each candidate to "accentuate what he is very different from the others." He described how enthusiasm for such processes, seen among socialist colleagues, can lead to rising tensions and increasingly personal attacks.Tensions and unresolved issues
Philippe explained that the process often results in "gaping faults" that make reunification at best hypocritical and at worst impossible. He made this statement as the results of the first round of the social democratic primary were expected to be announced Sunday evening.Recent interactions and political dynamics
The two men had not seen each other since the Pope's mass in Paris two weeks ago, where they attended without exchanging words, separated by Valérie Pécresse, the president of the Île-de-France region and a member of the LR party. Attal confirmed to the press that he had spoken to Philippe, though he provided no further details.Philippe remains leading in center camp
Édouard Philippe, the Horizon candidate for the presidency and former prime minister, remains the best placed in the center camp according to current polls, despite the ongoing discussions and tensions around reunification.
