Maud Bregeon and Eric Woerth endorse Édouard Philippe for 2027 presidency, splitting France’s centrist camp
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon and former minister Éric Woerth both announced support for Édouard Philippe on Monday, deepening the rift in the centrist bloc ahead of the 2027 election.
A double endorsement
On Monday 29 June, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon announced on France Inter and later on BFMTV that she would support former prime minister Édouard Philippe for the 2027 presidential election. Just hours later, former budget minister Éric Woerth also declared his backing in an interview with Les Échos. Both figures come from different wings of Emmanuel Macron’s coalition yet chose to rally behind Philippe rather than Renaissance party president Gabriel Attal, who is also running.
I make the responsible choice to support the one who, in my view, is the most able to bring the French together very broadly.
He has the profile France needs to respond to the difficulties of the moment.
Philippe’s campaign gains momentum
The endorsements add to earlier support from former minister Nathalie Kosciusko‑Morizet. Philippe’s campaign sees the flurry as the start of a broader dynamic. He will hold his first major rally on 5 July at the Adidas Arena in Paris, a sign that his campaign is moving into a more public phase after months of quiet preparation.
- Gabriel Attal holds campaign meeting attended by ministers David Amiel and Roland Lescure.
- Maud Bregeon and Éric Woerth announce support for Édouard Philippe.
- Édouard Philippe holds first major campaign rally at Adidas Arena, Paris.
A fractured centrist bloc
The announcements expose the divisions inside the presidential majority. While Bregeon and Woerth opted for Philippe, other ministers remain publicly aligned with Gabriel Attal. Comptes publics minister David Amiel attended Attal’s rally on 30 May, as did Roland Lescure. Still, several heavyweight figures, including justice minister Gérald Darmanin, former prime minister Élisabeth Borne, and National Assembly president Yaël Braun‑Pivet, have yet to declare their preference. Darmanin, a close friend of Philippe and a former Republican, is expected to publish a book in the autumn and may launch his own bid later.
Government rules tested
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had initially instructed ministers to stay away from presidential campaigning. The rule has since been relaxed: ministers may express political opinions as long as they hold no operational role in a campaign. Bregeon confirmed she will not take any such role and informed Lecornu ahead of her announcement. The Élysée has remained silent on whether President Macron was informed or approved the move.
The road to 2027
Philippe frames the election as a choice about action rather than a break with Macron’s legacy. For Bregeon, the endorsement is a personal decision; she remains a member of Renaissance and says she supports the president. Her move underscores the gravitational pull Philippe exerts on the right of Macron’s coalition, while Attal continues to anchor the party’s official line.
