Édouard Philippe, a potential candidate for France's 2027 presidential election from the political party Horizons, is organizing a meeting in late October or early November with several prominent figures from the right and centrist political blocs. Invitations have been extended to Gabriel Attal, Bruno Retailleau, François Bayrou, David Lisnard, and Hervé Marseille. The goal of the meeting is to explore areas of agreement on policy, discuss strategies for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections, and work toward greater unity among the often-divided center-right and centrist groups. The discussions are expected to center around the possibility of forming a "government contract" — a formal agreement to align efforts in the presidential race. While Philippe's team hopes that figures like Attal and Retailleau might eventually support his candidacy, both have so far declined the proposal. François Bayrou, who is not running for president, is also invited due to his longstanding push for unity among centrist and right-wing political forces. In addition to the meeting, Philippe has announced that he will step down as leader of the Horizons party on October 1st, following the senatorial elections. He plans to restructure his political committee into a "campaign committee with Édouard," which will serve as a recurring platform for political strategy and dialogue. This initiative includes setting up local committees across France and bringing together influential figures such as Gérald Darmanin, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, and Éric Woerth to share their vision for the country's future. The meeting takes place amid a fragmented political landscape, with multiple candidates vying for dominance within the right and centrist blocs. Philippe is seeking to position himself as the candidate best able to prevent a potential second-round matchup between far-right leader Marine Le Pen and far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon. However, his proposal for a primary election process to choose a unified candidate has faced resistance, and Philippe himself has expressed opposition to such a process.