Media: France opens road to 2027 presidency with official vote dates

France will hold its next presidential election on April 18 and May 2, 2027, with the first and second rounds of voting taking place on those respective Sundays.

The election timetable had remained one of the last unresolved issues for the government, but authorities have now finalised the schedule. According to Ouest-France, with the information confirmed by sources speaking to Le Figaro, the first round will take place on April 18, followed by the runoff on May 2. The dates are expected to be officially approved during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, July 1.

The government had considered two options: holding the vote on April 11 and 25 or postponing it by one week. Officials ultimately opted for the latter. The limited flexibility stemmed from constitutional requirements, which mandate that a presidential election be held between 20 and 35 days before the expiration of the sitting president’s term.

As a result, the second round had to take place before midnight on May 14, 2027, when the second five-year term of President Emmanuel Macron officially ends. Macron began his current term on May 14, 2022.

Another notable aspect of the election calendar is its overlap with France’s school holidays, which will run from April 3 to May 3, 2027, depending on the country’s academic zones. By scheduling both rounds during the holiday period, the government risks having some voters away from their usual place of residence on election days, even though many are expected to vote by proxy.

The overlap could affect voter turnout and potentially influence the balance of forces in the first round, where the threshold for reaching the runoff is expected to be particularly low.

By Jeyhun Aghazada