Around 60 political figures, historians, and political scientists have called for introducing proportional representation in legislative elections before the 2027 presidential vote, in a tribune published in La Tribune on February 8. Signatories include former President François Hollande, former Prime Ministers Elisabeth Borne and Bernard Cazeneuve, as well as ecologist and socialist leaders. They argue that the current majoritarian system hinders democracy and boosts the far right.
A tribune published on February 8 in La Tribune brings together the voices of around 60 personalities to promote a major change in France's electoral system. Led by deputies Erwan Balanant (MoDem, Finistère), Guillaume Gouffier Valente (Renaissance, Val-de-Marne), Jérémie Iordanoff (Ecologistes, Isère), and Marie Récalde (Socialist Party, Gironde), the signatories advocate for adopting proportional representation in legislative elections before 2027.
Among them are prominent figures such as former President François Hollande, former Prime Ministers Elisabeth Borne and Bernard Cazeneuve, the head of the Les Démocrates group Marc Fesneau, and ecologist leaders Marine Tondelier (national secretary), Cyrielle Chatelain (head of the Assembly group), and Guillaume Gontard (Senate group). Raphaël Glucksmann (Place publique), socialist group presidents Boris Vallaud and Patrick Kanner, and Florent Boudié (Renaissance, laws committee) also signed.
Experts including political scientists Loïc Blondiaux, Antoine Bristielle, Bastien François, Emiliano Grossman, Isabelle Guinaudeau, Rémi Lefebvre, and Frédéric Sawicki, constitutionalist Benjamin Morel, sociologist Dominique Méda, historian Christophe Prochasson, and Thierry Pech from Terra Nova round out the group.
The authors highlight that 'the institutional constraints imposed by maintaining the majoritarian system often slow down or block the essential search for solutions capable of building majorities.' They warn that this setup degrades democracy's image, fuels the temptation for strongman rule, and benefits the far right, which could secure an absolute majority with just a third of the votes, potentially sliding into an authoritarian regime akin to Donald Trump's ambitions in the United States.
A bill was introduced in October by deputies from various groups, and a similar proposal is expected in the Senate. The signatories urge Parliament to act swiftly, pointing to support from many political forces.
