Ségolène Royal in Deauville in 2020. Credit: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
On September 23, in Boulogne-Billancourt, the five contenders for the Socialist and democratic nomination for 2027 put their proposals to the test on LCI. Ségolène Royal and Olivier Faure opposed Raphaël Glucksmann and Jérôme Guedj on how to classify the events in Gaza. The possibility of agreements with La France insoumise then exposed competing strategies, ahead of the October vote.
Gaza: A Disagreement Over How To Classify the Events
Ségolène Royal and Olivier Faure use the term “genocide” to describe the situation in Gaza. During the first televised debate, broadcast on LCI, the former minister stressed the weight of words. The Socialist Party first secretary defended their political significance in order to bring the massacres to an end.
Raphaël Glucksmann and Jérôme Guedj رفض this classification. The co-president of Place publique points to the International Criminal Court and speaks of “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes.” He believes that actions taken to pressure the Israeli government should take precedence in the debate.
Socialist MP Jérôme Guedj also insists on the need to distinguish the Israeli government from French Jewish citizens. The discussion became tense when Ségolène Royal said she wanted to hear more Israeli and Jewish voices denouncing Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies. Guedj challenged this expectation toward Jewish people, while Glucksmann refused to make condemning the Israeli leader depend on anyone’s background. Royal accused them of distorting her remarks.
Measures To Pressure Israel Under Debate
When it comes to measures to take, the positions do not line up exactly with this disagreement over words. Olivier Faure wants to suspend the association agreement between the European Union and Israel, which notably governs their trade. He also calls for ending trade with Israeli settlements. Ségolène Royal supports this line.
Raphaël Glucksmann also supports calling the association agreement into question and imposing sanctions on the Israeli government’s policies. His refusal to use the word “genocide” therefore does not mean a refusal of sanctions. For the MEP, Benjamin Netanyahu’s decisions must come at a cost.
Emmanuel Maurel, MP for Val-d’Oise and founder of the Republican and Socialist Left, supports suspending the agreement. He emphasizes solidarity with Palestinians, recognition of their state, and respect for international law. Jérôme Guedj also sees the trade agreement as a means of pressure, while opposing the boycott of Israeli scholars and artists.
With LFI, Two Strategies for the Presidential and Legislative Elections
The final segment focused on the partners for a possible majority. For Raphaël Glucksmann, breaking with La France insoumise would make it possible to win back voters who reject that alliance. He presents the break as a condition for defeating the National Rally.
Olivier Faure rejects this strategy on the grounds of the risk of division. He wants to convince Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s voters to back the primary winner, then have left-wing support to pass his reforms. The question of an electoral partner thus overlaps with that of votes in Parliament.
The positions defended during the debate are thus as follows:
| Candidate | Position on relations with LFI |
|---|---|
| Raphaël Glucksmann | Rules out deals in the presidential and legislative elections. Supports democratic left candidates in every constituency. |
| Jérôme Guedj | Refuses new alliances with LFI. Distinguishes his support for the primary winner from his opposition to a legislative deal with the insoumis. |
| Olivier Faure | Refuses to close the door to cooperation with other left-wing forces. Stresses the need for parliamentary convergences. |
| Ségolène Royal | Opposes preemptively excluding LFI and supports agreements with left-wing forces to build a majority. |
| Emmanuel Maurel | Rejects defining the primary solely in opposition to LFI. Wants to preserve the possibility of a broad coalition against the far right. |
For Emmanuel Maurel, the prospect of a Marine Le Pen victory would make a legislative coalition necessary, one that could reach beyond the left. Jérôme Guedj, by contrast, believes that a republican front including LFI would be ineffective.
A joint vote on a law, an agreement on candidacies, and a runoff coalition each serve different purposes. Asked to make a commitment at the end of the program, the five participants agreed to support the person chosen by the primary, but Guedj maintained his explicit reservation about any legislative alliance with LFI.
On Wages, Similar Goals and Different Levers
The economic exchanges revealed more areas of agreement. All the candidates support higher pay, using different tools. Olivier Faure proposes a net minimum wage of 1,700 euros and wage growth in line with inflation, at least up to the median wage. Emmanuel Maurel also supports indexing wages to prices and wants to end the freeze on civil servants’ index point.
Raphaël Glucksmann proposes taxing the highest inheritances more heavily to fund a cut in the General Social Contribution, the CSG, which is levied notably on wages. Ségolène Royal links higher income to controlling prices and wants to reconsider aid to companies that pay dividends. Jérôme Guedj wants exemptions granted to companies to be tied to their wage policies.
On debt, none of the five presented outright write-off as an immediately available solution. Faure stresses the European agreements that would be required. Royal warns against the consequences of a default. Maurel emphasizes tax revenue and production, Glucksmann reindustrialization and spending control, and Guedj a fairer distribution of the effort.
A Digital Vote on October 9 and 10
The “Choose 2027” primary brings together the Socialist Party, Place publique, and the Republican and Socialist Left. It will designate their joint candidacy for 2027; it is not a vote of the entire left.
According to the calendar published by the Socialist Party, the first round will take place online on October 9 and 10, 2026. A second round is scheduled for October 16 and 17 if no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first, as stated in the rules presented by Place publique.
To take part in the first round, non-members must register by October 5 and pay 15 euros, or 10 euros at the reduced rate. Members must meet their organization’s dues requirements. Two other debates are scheduled before the vote, on October 1 on France Télévisions and on October 4 on BFMTV.