French President Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out returning to the race for the country’s presidency after his current term ends. He spoke about the possibility at the Lumière summit, responding to a question about whether he might run in a presidential election in the future.
“Let’s be clear: under our Constitution, you are allowed to serve two consecutive terms. So I will finish my term next May, and the French people will elect someone else,” Macron said.
At the same time, he stressed that he does not rule out the possibility of returning in the future. “Coming back is quite unusual, but we’ll see. Life is inventive, sometimes even more than cinema,” the French president said.
Macron was elected president in 2017 and re-elected in 2022. Article 6 of the French Constitution stipulates that the same person cannot hold the office of president for more than two consecutive terms, meaning Macron cannot run for a third consecutive term in the 2027 election. Légifrance +1
The first round of France’s next presidential election is scheduled for April 18, 2027, and the second round for May 2. Service Public +1
Macron’s current term will end in May 2027, but his latest statement leaves open the possibility of returning to the presidential race at a later date.
The constitutional restriction is clear for now: Macron cannot immediately run for a third term in 2027 because the current rule applies specifically to consecutive terms. At the same time, his statement draws attention because he has explicitly declined to rule out a future return, meaning he was referring not to the 2027 election but to a possible return at a later stage of his political career. Légifrance +1
The key distinction here is the timeline. Macron simultaneously acknowledges that the French people will elect another president in 2027 while declining to rule out his own return at a later date. Taken together, the two statements show that his current remarks do not indicate a new candidacy, but rather a political position that leaves open the possibility of returning in the future.
