French judoka Teddy Riner announced his entry into the presidential race during an interview published by Le Parisien on Monday, November 9.
The 37-year-old three-time individual Olympic champion stated he positioned himself “neither on the right nor on the left,” aiming instead to become “the president who federates.” According to Le Parisien, the athlete declared he is running “to show that we can lift France back up.”
Riner outlined preliminary plans focusing on antiracism and a comprehensive overhaul of the pension system. His approach to pensions factors in demographic shifts while preserving the solidarity-based distribution system, without ruling out a capital-funded component.
Addressing student protests from October, the judoka acknowledged their demands as legitimate while maintaining that authorities must not “prevent those who wish to work from studying peacefully.” He remains relatively evasive regarding the wider specifics of his platform, indicating that detailed proposals will follow at a later stage.
To support his bid, Riner is establishing a campaign association with statutory filings scheduled for submission on Monday, according to Le Parisien. He has gathered a core team of roughly twenty individuals drawn from the civil service, former ministerial posts, and civil society, and plans to travel across France in the coming days.
Despite launching his political campaign, Riner insists he is not concluding his athletic career. He maintains his intention to compete at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, stating he plans to attend “if the function permits it and if the French authorize it.”
