Paris (France) (AFP) – Social Democratic candidate for the presidential election Raphaël Glucksmann declared Friday, during a live broadcast on his social networks, that he has as a "model" in politics Pierre Mendès France, who was briefly head of government, and whose "ethics" and "sincerity" he praised.
Published on: 06/11/2026 - 20:42
“I have a model who is Pierre Mendès France,” explained Raphaël Glucksmann during a live video intervention lasting more than an hour on his social networks.
“And generally, this is the moment when my advisors stop (me), because he lost power after eight months, he never succeeded in being president and therefore it is a counter-example,” he admitted with humor.
“Well no. I want Mendès France to win. Mendès France is ethics and sincerity,” he added.
Pierre Mendès France was president of the Council of Ministers, the equivalent of the Prime Minister under the Fourth Republic, from June 1954 to February 1955.
He never ran for the presidency of the Republic but formed a political ticket with the socialist Gaston Defferre who received 5% of the vote in 1969.
François Bayrou (MoDem), who stayed nine months at Matignon, often cites him as a reference.
Like Raphaël Glucksmann, Pierre Mendès France, a popular figure on the democratic left known for his probity, was close to the socialists without being officially part of the PS or the SFIO.
This former member of the Free French Forces (FFL) resigned from his post as minister in Guy Mollet's government in 1956 due to a disagreement over policy in Algeria.
Raphaël Glucksmann tried his hand on Friday evening at a first exercise of exchanges on his networks, which he wants to carry out regularly to energize his campaign, which is currently being structured.
An official campaign organization chart was thus drawn up.
The latter, consulted by AFP, confirms that PS senator Alexandre Ouizille, close to Boris Vallaud, is indeed campaign director.
The leader of the socialist deputies has the title of special advisor.
The boss of the PS Olivier Faure, easily beaten by Raphaël Glucksmann during the primary, is part of the political committee headed by the regional socialist president Carole Delga and the environmentalist senator Yannick Jadot.
Among the spokespersons we find two opponents of Raphaël Glucksmann in the primary: the deputies Emmanuel Maurel (Republican and Socialist Left) and Jérôme Guedj (PS).
The winner of the socialist primary must hold his first campaign meeting in Paris in a month, on December 6.
© 2026 AFP
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