Paris mayoral election: Macron’s party appears set to endorse ally Pierre-Yves Bournazel (Horizons) as candidate

For context: Horizons is a liberal centre-right junior partner in Macron’s Ensemble coalition, founded by Macron’s first PM Édouard Philippe.

The inside baseball here is that Renaissance (Macron’s party now chaired by former PM Gabriel Attal) was initially set to endorse embattled LR candidate and incumbent culture minister Rachida Dati, according to leaks in the press from early last year. This was supposed to be a deal between Dati and Macron himself for her and allies in the Paris LR section to join the Attal government. Things have changed since, as Dati has been charged with corruption charges (influence peddling with automaker Renault in the EU parliament, her trial is set for fall 2026), Macron has lost influence over his own party, and a fragile coalition between Ensemble and LR had formed with Barnier’s government and collapsed with the first Lecornu government. A new rift with LR leader Retailleau has grown since.

Funnily enough, Horizons leader Philippe has recently called for Macron to resign in 2026. There’s a rift between Attal and Macron.