Marine Le Pen’s successful July 2026 appeal cleared her path to run for the Rassemblement National, positioning her as the consistent first-round leader at 33-36% in recent polls. A record number of candidates have declared across the spectrum, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon for La France Insoumise, Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal for the center, Bruno Retailleau for Les Républicains, and recent additions such as Éric Zemmour and Nicolas Dupont-Aignan. Fragmentation in the center and left, combined with the two-round system and 500-signature parrainage requirement, raises the bar for lesser-known contenders while favoring established party-backed figures. Left primaries scheduled for autumn 2026 and the first-round vote on 18 April 2027 will further shape the final ballot.