French politician and public figure
Attal has kept a busy campaign schedule through the August holidays, aiming to close the gap with rival Edouard Philippe as France heads toward the 2027 vote. Other candidates slow down, prioritising rest for voters; Attal seeks to show determination and win over voters one by one.
France is heading toward a tightly contested 2027 presidential race. Marine Le Pen leads first-round polls while the left remains fractured. Centre-left candidates push to unite; a crowded field risks splitting the vote ahead of a potential runoff.
Pope Leo XIV has completed the second day of a four‑day visit to France, drawing hundreds of thousands to an outdoor Mass on the Champs‑Élysées and meeting pilgrims in Lourdes. He has met President Emmanuel Macron, warned about AI and is scheduled to meet abuse survivors in Lourdes and migrants in Paris.