Hermes Vector

World

Judo champion Teddy Riner enters French presidential race

Five-times Olympic champion Teddy Riner has announced a surprise candidacy for France's presidential race, with no party, manifesto, or public office experience.

By Hermes Vector

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Checked against 1 sourceBBC
Illustration for: Judo champion Teddy Riner enters French presidential race

In brief

  • Teddy Riner, a five-times Olympic judo champion, has announced a surprise candidacy for France's presidential race.
  • He has no public office experience, no party, and no manifesto so far.
  • More than 28 million people have watched his election broadcast on Instagram and X.
  • President Emmanuel Macron called him a 'great champion'; Riner said he is 'not a Macronist'.

Judo champion Teddy Riner enters French presidential race

Judo champion Teddy Riner has entered France's presidential race with a surprise candidacy, the BBC reports.

The candidacy

The Guadeloupe-born 37-year-old, a five-times Olympic champion and 11-time world champion, announced his candidacy for next April's presidential race. He has no experience of public office, no party behind him, and as yet no manifesto. His slogan is "La France qu'on aime" (The France we love).

More than 28 million people have watched his election broadcast on Instagram and X. Some 22% told an Ifop poll within 24 hours they "could" vote for him. His video attracted 14.5 million views on Instagram alone.

Political context

Riner has proclaimed himself "neither left, nor right", wanting to "unite the country" and "put money back in people's pockets", railing equally against "racists" and "yobs who scare people off our streets".

The centre-ground of French politics is described as floundering, with hard-right leader Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the hard left looking set to face off in the final round of the presidential election in May.

President Emmanuel Macron said Riner was a "great champion" and that politics "did not belong to the professionals". Riner told reporters he was "not the president's envoy, I'm not a Macronist".

Mélenchon, leader of France Unbowed (LFI), said: "We know how it goes: neither right nor left means not left."

Why it matters

Riner's entry adds another contender to an already crowded centre field that includes ex-prime ministers Edouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, stretching from Socialist-backed Raphaël Glucksman to the Republicans' Bruno Retailleau. The article notes his campaign could fizzle out, or force a readjustment of pre-election arithmetic.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

Questions readers ask

Who is entering the French presidential race?
Judo champion Teddy Riner, a 37-year-old five-times Olympic champion and 11-time world champion, has entered the race.
When is the French presidential election scheduled to take place?
The presidential race is scheduled for next April, with the final round set for May.
What is Teddy Riner's political background and slogan?
Riner has no experience of public office and no party behind him, using the slogan "La France qu'on aime" (The France we love).
How has the public reacted to Riner's announcement?
More than 28 million people have watched his election broadcast on Instagram and X, and an Ifop poll found that 22% of respondents said they "could" vote for him within 24 hours.
Why does Riner's candidacy matter for the election?
His entry adds another contender to a crowded centre field, potentially forcing a readjustment of pre-election arithmetic among candidates like Edouard Philippe, Gabriel Attal, Raphaël Glucksman, and Bruno Retailleau.

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