With a year and a half to go before the presidential election, 34% of French people currently want Edouard Philippe to run (-2 points since April 2026), and 29% want Gabriel Attal to run (-2 points over the same period). But the decline is most evident when compared to May 2025—the peak of the series: Edouard Philippe has lost 7 points (from 41% to 34%) and Gabriel Attal 5 points (from 34% to 29%) in just over a year.
Support for their candidacies remains sharply divided along party lines: 77% of Renaissance supporters and 65% of Les Républicains supporters want Edouard Philippe to run, compared with only 16% of LFI supporters and 10% of those in the National Rally. Gabriel Attal follows the same pattern but with lower levels of support on the right: 69% of Renaissance supporters and 40% of Les Républicains supporters want him to run, compared to 11% of those close to La France Insoumise and 12% of National Rally supporters.
In terms of image, Gabriel Attal clearly outperforms Edouard Philippe when it comes to approachability and interpersonal skills: he is seen as more likable (51% vs. 39%), more open to dialogue (49% vs. 40%), and more courageous (43% vs. 39%). Edouard Philippe, on the other hand, has the edge when it comes to presidential stature: 39% of French people see him as having presidential stature, compared to 22% for Gabriel Attal—a 17-point gap, the largest in the comparison—and he is perceived as slightly more competent (39% versus 34%) and better able to turn the country around (28% versus 20%).
