French lawmaker François Ruffin has launched an unconventional hitchhiking tour across France in a bid to breathe new life into his 2027 presidential campaign. The Somme deputy, who represents the northern constituency centered on Amiens, took to the roads in July with a stripped-down crew to reconnect with ordinary citizens away from traditional political rallies.
The initiative comes as Ruffin seeks momentum after separating from La France Insoumise, the main left-wing political movement led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Having previously advocated for a unified left-wing primary election that failed to materialise, Ruffin currently finds himself politically isolated and trailing far behind Mélenchon in early prospective lineups for the next French presidential race.
To record his travels, Ruffin travels with a lightweight team consisting of a single assistant who films him using a smartphone. The duo relies on two discreet clip-on microphones to preserve the natural intimacy established inside the vehicles of drivers who offer them rides.
Travel routes and television inspiration
The parliamentarian explained his motivations following his first two completed journeys. His initial route took him between Gironde and Périgueux in southwestern France, while his second trip spanned from a campsite near Perpignan in the south to the rural department of Ardèche in the southeast. Ruffin noted that traditional political campaigns surround candidates with supporters who already agree with them, creating a serious risk of becoming disconnected from everyday public opinion.
He revealed that the concept was inspired by Nus et culottés, a popular French television documentary series on the France 5 network in which two hosts set off without clothes or money and rely on the generosity of strangers to complete a journey. Ruffin clarified that unlike the television show hosts, he does not travel naked.
The Amiens politician has documented his journeys through six vlog episodes published on his official YouTube channel, which commands a subscriber base of 250,000 users. Each video entry has attracted roughly 10,000 views. In addition, his communications team produces short-form video content distributed across Instagram and X, where Ruffin maintains a combined following of 445,000 users.
Voter encounters on the road
During his journey away from the Perpignan campsite, Ruffin was picked up by Mickaël, a mechanic in his thirties who works on motor cultivators in the surrounding vineyards. Mickaël had relocated to southern France from the northern port city of Dunkirk to escape personal struggles involving unemployment, local crime and addiction.
Reflecting on the meeting, Ruffin expressed enthusiasm about the encounter, stating that he would never have crossed paths with such a worker through standard campaign activities. He pointed out that people like Mickaël rarely feature in television news broadcasts and do not attend political campaign meetings.
Upcoming book and policy testing
Ruffin, who founded the political movement Debout !, is preparing to publish a programmatic book in October outlining his platform for France. The upcoming publication will focus heavily on employment policy, climate change initiatives and disability rights, an issue he noted arises regularly during his conversations with citizens.
The hitchhiking campaign also serves as a real-world testing ground for his policy ideas. Ruffin acknowledged that because right-wing motorists also offer him rides, the journey provides a unique opportunity to gauge how conservative voters react to his political proposals.
