Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner announced his candidacy for French president on Monday, positioning himself as a unifying figure above the traditional left-right divide. The 37-year-old multiple gold medalist, consistently ranked among France's most popular public figures, declared his intention to bridge deep national divisions. Riner stated he is running to restore ambition and hope for younger and older generations struggling to envision the future.
His announcement comes amid massive protest marches across France demanding higher wages and supporting student movements, fresh pressure on the beleaguered government. Riner acknowledged the social tensions and anger but emphasized France's greatness and his own dream of achieving great things together. In September, Riner said he aims to end his stellar career with a fourth individual Olympic gold at the Los Angeles Games in 2028, insisting his presidential run does not necessarily mean abandoning that goal if duties allow and the French people bless his endeavor.
French authorities investigated online racial abuse aimed at Riner in September after he expressed concern about the rise of the far right. According to opinion polls, National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is the front-runner to replace Emmanuel Macron, ahead of hard-left figure Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Other candidates include two former Macron prime ministers and figures from the moderate left, right, Green party and conservatives.
To stand, Riner must gather 500 sponsorship signatures from elected officials. On the international stage, Riner joked about the prospect of a first handshake with Donald Trump, saying, "We'll see who has the firmer handshake.".
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing