During a rally in the northeastern city of Reims in the Champagne region, Philippe presented his campaign team, campaign calendar and party priorities.
He promised to outline it during the campaign “extremely optimistic” vision of France. The former prime minister gathered officials and representatives from his Horizons party to develop a plan to defeat far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella – the current favorites in the polls.
“I will present proposals that will unite everyone: a clear, ambitious, precise and realistic program that will have a huge impact,” Philippe told several hundred Horizons delegates.
— This is a new stage of the presidential campaign – continued the mayor of Le Havre. — We will have to go beyond the boundaries of our party… open up and go further.
Philippe said difficult choices would be necessary, but stressed that they would give the French a more positive outlook on a changing world. – Do not be discouraged by pessimists and those who have a pessimistic view of the world, he appealed.
Philippe's campaign team will be headed by three people: former minister and current mayor of Angers Christophe Bechu, former minister Marie Guevenoux and MEP Gilles Boyer.
— Our mission is to unite Bechu said after the rally. – This is a new stage, [Philippe] says: “I am not just the president of Horizons, but the candidate who will unite all French people,” he said.
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Philippe also announced that he would hold his first election rally in Paris on July 5, and a nationwide campaign day with 1,000 smaller election meetings planned at the end of June.
In recent weeks, Philippe has faced accusations that he is too quiet and is running a too inconspicuous campaign.
“I come from the right and I'm not going to apologize for it”
According to early polls, Philippe was by far the best-ranked centrist candidate most likely to defeat the far right in the next presidential election. However, the latest polls suggest that his lead over former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Conservative leader Bruno Retailleau is shrinking. The two campaigned intensely to overtake Philippe.
During an hour-long speech in Reims, Philippe outlined his goals for the campaign, touching on several hot topics for conservatives: cutting turnover taxes for French companies, cutting red tape, rebalancing the state pension system, and fighting crime and drug trafficking.
Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen in Paris, February 26, 2026.Adnan Farzat / NurPhoto via AFP / AFP
According to party representatives, one of Philippe's short-term goals will be to unite the center-right around his candidacy, especially the conservatives, and then try to expand his electorate.
“I come from the right… I'm not going to apologize for that,” said Philippe, who is a former member of the conservative Les Republicains party. – I know where I am – I am the head of a right-wing party and I am the mayor of the workers' city of Le Havre… This shows that the ideas of freedom and responsibility are not the domain of the right-wing electorate only – he added.
The party hopes that several important politicians from rival parties will support Philippe in the near future, and this would put pressure on Attal and Retailleau, admitted the MP from the Horizons party.
“This needs to be decided before Christmas,” the MP said. — Everything must be ready by the end of the year to face the candidates from the National Union and [liderowi skrajnie lewicowej partii Francja Nieujarzmiona Jean-Lucowi] Melenchon, he emphasized.
“Lies” and “dangerous ideas”
During Sunday's rally, Philippe sharply criticized both the far right and the far left, accusing them of selling lies and “dangerous ideas” to the French.
“Look what the US president, whom Mr. Bardella so admires, is doing to the purchasing power of the American middle class with his tariffs and wars in the Middle East,” he said.
— Populism always turns against people – he assessed.
However, his speech was short on details, especially on emotive issues such as the retirement age in France and planned cuts in public spending.
However, he promised to present specific proposals in the coming months.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
