France in September 2026: the most important developments in politics
French politics in September 2026 centred on the National Rally's rise ahead of the 2027 presidential election. On September 27 and 28 the party won 15 seats in the indirect Senate elections, enough to form its own group in the upper chamber for the first time, while the conservatives were expected to keep their majority. Marine Le Pen opened her presidential campaign in Hénin-Beaumont on September 13 and 14 with a housing programme that promised French citizens priority access to social housing and the repeal of the SRU law. Polls through the month put her ahead of Édouard Philippe and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, with Mélenchon her most likely opponent in the second round. Éric Ciotti, Marion Maréchal and Éric Zemmour also positioned themselves in the race, and Bruno Retailleau and David Lisnard announced bids. On September 29 Jordan Bardella denied antisemitic remarks attributed to him by Mediapart and filed a defamation suit; Macron called the remarks "gravely serious and unacceptable" on September 30. A poll that week put Macron's approval at 18 percent, a record low for a French president.
The fuel crisis and Russia ran through the second half of the month. Macron ordered greater vigilance against Russian hybrid attacks, invited party leaders to the Élysée and gave a televised interview on September 24 on fuel prices, Ukraine and the election, saying a new dissolution of the National Assembly would not be good for the country. Le Pen and Bardella distanced themselves from Russia, and the Kremlin rejected their criticism. On September 26 and 27 Macron said he did not rule out running again, answering "We will see."
Abroad, Macron visited Britain on September 2 and 3, where the Bayeux Tapestry was unveiled and he met new Prime Minister Andy Burnham; on September 30 Burnham said Britain could rejoin the EU if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and Macron said "welcome back." He met Canada's Mark Carney in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon on September 20, and addressed the UN General Assembly on September 22, where France also drafted a Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz. Netanyahu criticised Macron's remarks on Hamas in the West Bank on September 23. Pope Leo XIV visited Paris and Metz from September 25 to 28. During Macron's state visit to Spain the Spanish Senate rejected a friendship treaty with France, and Spain later apologised.
The Paris after-school abuse scandal reached the Senate, where Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire testified on September 16, and the appeal trial of François Bayrou's MoDem party opened on September 9.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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