Teddy Riner distances himself from Macron's endorsement in French presidential bid

French judo champion Teddy Riner on Saturday publicly distanced himself from President Emmanuel Macron, calling the head of state's endorsement a "poisoned chalice". The presidential hopeful seeks to position himself as an alternative to France's political extremes.

Macron said on Monday that Riner joining the 2027 election race could "only benefit the country" after the popular judoka announced he was running. The centrist president praised Riner as a "great champion", saying politics "did not belong to the professionals".

Riner, however, sought to distance himself from the president and his political camp, describing Macron's praise as a "poisoned chalice".

"I'm not the president's envoy, I'm not a Macronist", he said.

The 37-year-old, who has won five Olympic gold medals, announced his bid for next April's French presidential election. He is a five-time Olympic champion and 11-time world heavyweight judo champion. Born in Guadeloupe, Riner has no experience in public office, formal backing from a political party or detailed manifesto.

He launched his campaign under the slogan "La France qu'on aime" (The France we love), using social media broadcasts and a visit to a hospital in Seine-Saint-Denis to introduce his candidacy. His campaign video, filmed against a backdrop of books and a French flag, has attracted more than 28 million views across social media platforms, including 14.5 million on Instagram alone. An immediate Ifop poll found that 22% of respondents said they "could" vote for him.

Building his campaign around an anti-establishment message, Riner has repeatedly emphasised that he is not a career politician.

"Don't Worry! I'm NOT a Politician!" he said.

Describing himself as "neither left, nor right", Riner said he wanted to "unite the country" and "put money back in people's pockets". He has also criticised both "racists" and "yobs who scare people off our streets".

In his campaign launch video, Riner addressed criticism over his lack of political experience.

"People say I am a fool for wanting to run for the presidency. Am I a fool? Well, if refusing to see France sink under the weight of debt; refusing to see mothers and fathers grit their teeth every time they do their weekly shop, and tremble with fear when their kids go out on the street… if all that means being a fool, then yes call me a fool."

Riner said in his announcement on Monday he feared France could soon become deeply divided. He appeared to cast himself as a candidate for voters unwilling to choose between two political extremes — the far right and the hard left.

Opinion polls project far-right candidate Marine Le Pen as winning the first round of next year's vote, with hard-left hopeful Jean-Luc Mélenchon qualifying to face off against her in a second round. The centre-right has struggled to produce a single candidate with a decent shot at the top job. Former prime minister Edouard Philippe has slipped from second to third place in surveys in recent months.

Riner has hinted in an interview with the Le Parisien newspaper that he would be in favour of a pension reform and a reduction in social security contributions, which could appeal to voters on the centre-right. But he has also deplored that "a young person's future can be shattered just because they don't have the right connections, the right name or the right skin colour," which could attract leftists.

Political analyst Guillaume Tabard of Le Figaro said Riner's outsider status did not necessarily rule him out as a presidential contender, but warned that it would not be enough on its own.

"Anyone who thinks that being out of the political in-crowd disqualifies Riner from running for the Élysée would be very wrong... But [Riner] too would be wrong if he thinks not belonging to the in-crowd is all it takes."

Mélenchon welcomed the prospect of further competition for centrist voters, while expressing scepticism about Riner's claim to stand outside traditional political divisions.

"We know how it goes: neither right nor left means not left", he said.

The political centre is already crowded, with around a dozen potential candidates, including former prime ministers Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, Bruno Retailleau, Raphaël Glucksmann and potentially European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde. Riner's candidacy could further divide the centrist electorate.

To turn his public profile into a viable political campaign, he will need to build a team and set out concrete positions on major national issues, including public debt, the cost of living, education investment, pension reform and foreign policy, including Russia's war in Ukraine.

Macron's popularity is the lowest it has ever been since he first became president in 2017, according to recent polls, as nationwide protests rock the country.

Riner visited a trade fair of products made in France Saturday as part of his campaign. Macron in 2024 handed Riner an award for his Olympic achievements.

Sources

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