Police Raid Fmr PM & Poss Pres Candidate Phillipe Offices In Graft Probe

A press release from the office of former PM and possible 2027 presidential candidate Edouard Philippe has confirmed reports of a police raid on the Le Havre mayor's offices, and says that he and his team are cooperating with authorities. Earlier, Le Monde reported the raid "part of a preliminary investigation opened in December 2023 on charges of illegal influence peddling, favouritism, misappropriation of public funds and psychological harassment"

• Philippe served as PM from 2017 to 2020 under President Emmanuel Macron before resigning ahead of a gov't reshuffle. Speculation at the time centred on the prospect of Macron having removed the PM due to polling showing Philippe's popularity exceeding that of the president.
• Since then, Philippe has served as Mayor of Le Havre. During this time he has also founded his own political party, the centre-right 'Horizons', which sits as part of the pro-Macron governing coalition in the National Assembly.
• In Feburary, Philippe gave his clearest indication that he intends to run for the presidency in 2027, stating“I have no problem saying that, in fact, I am preparing".
• Opinion polling shows Philippe with a narrow lead over PM Gabriel Attal among hypothetical candidates from the centrist bloc. Notably, both trail right-wing Rassemblement National leader Marine Le Pen by a sizeable margin (~7%-12%).
• With three years left to run on Macron's term it is still too early to say who could take up the mantle of the centrist parties against Le Pen, but any signal of impropriety could damage Philippe's chances.