Political commentator Christophe Barbier has claimed French presidential candidates Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Marine Le Pen are pretending to be afraid of failing to secure the required 500 signatures to run for office.
Speaking on French news network LCI, Barbier stated that several prominent contenders will easily reach the mandatory endorsement threshold before the official list of candidates is finalised in mid-March.
In France, prospective presidential candidates must gather 500 endorsements, known as parrainages, from elected officials every five years to earn a spot on the ballot. These signatures must be collected from mayors, parliamentarians, or local councillors across multiple departments to demonstrate broad nationwide support.
Barbier predicted that candidates such as Bruno Retailleau, former prime minister Édouard Philippe, and former prime minister Gabriel Attal will successfully collect the necessary endorsements. In contrast, he described the anxiety expressed by Mélenchon, head of the far-left France Unbowed party, and Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, as an act.
Struggles for candidates and proposed reforms
Other contenders face a much harder task, according to Barbier. He singled out Éric Zemmour, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, François Asselineau, and Green party leader Marine Tondelier as politicians who will find the signature hunt significantly more challenging.
For Tondelier, Barbier highlighted internal friction within Europe Écologie Les Verts, stating that her party remains divided and that some members do not want her to run.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the current nomination rules, Barbier proposed a major overhaul of the endorsement system. He suggested raising the required threshold from 500 to 2,000 signatures while making endorsement mandatory for all 42,000 elected officials in France. Under his plan, hesitant mayors could put the choice to a vote within their municipal councils.
The final list of official candidates for the upcoming presidential election will be made public in mid-March once all submitted signatures are verified.
