Presidential election 2027: from the Lille clearance sale to the Châlons-en-Champagne Fair, the candidates in the campaign
Several national political figures are going to the Lille flea market and the Châlons-en-Champagne Fair to launch their campaign for the presidential election in May 2027.
Quick Look
Several candidates for the 2027 presidential election, including Gabriel Attal, Marine Tondelier, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Raphaël Glucksmann, are going to the Lille flea market and the Châlons-en-Champagne Fair to begin their campaign.
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Why It Matters
The Lille flea market and the Châlons-en-Champagne Fair are traditional events popular with political figures to launch their return to school.
The Lille flea market, launched in the Middle Ages, is one of the most iconic events of life in Lille. But it is also a popular spot for national political figures.
Around 2.5 million visitors are expected to walk the cobblestones of the old town of Lille (Nord), where Europe's largest flea market is held every year. Between the 5,000 "bradeux" stalls and the mountains of mussels and fries, they will be able to cross paths, on Saturday, September 5, with several candidates for the May 2027 presidential election. It is the secretary general of Renaissance, Gabriel Attal, who will kick off the parade of political figures with a breakfast with his supporters, before strolling through the streets of Lille. Follow our live coverage.
A parade of candidates. The leader of The Ecologists, Marine Tondelier, originally from Pas-de-Calais, attends every year: this time, she is scheduled to speak in the late morning at her party's stand, following a stroll through the market. Jérôme Guedj, deputy for Essonne and candidate in the Socialist primary, is also expected on Saturday alongside the PS mayor of the city, Arnaud Deslandes. Another regular at the Lille flea market, the head of La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is expected around 4 p.m. for a speech on a stage set up for the occasion. On the right, the president of the Hauts-de-France region, Xavier Bertrand, officially a candidate in the presidential election, is also expected to visit over the weekend.
The local right critiques Jean-Luc Mélenchon's visit. The announcement of the visit, for the second consecutive year, by the leader of La France Insoumise, drew criticism within the local right. The head of The Republicans' list in the last Lille municipal elections, Louis Delemer, compared Jean-Luc Mélenchon's planned speech to a "national political rally" and a "platform" for LFI, lamenting the setup of a stage "disproportionate" to the stands usually planned by political parties.
Raphaël Glucksmann in Châlons-en-Champagne. As France's second-largest agricultural gathering behind Paris, the Châlons-en-Champagne Fair is also asserting itself as a mandatory stop of the political season launch. Following Horizons candidate Edouard Philippe on Monday and former President of the Republic François Hollande on Thursday, the co-president of Place Publique and presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann will visit the site on Saturday.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Gabriel Attal will launch the parade of political figures with a breakfast
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What will be the main themes addressed by the candidates during these trips?
