Raphaël Glucksmann Calls for Regularizing 300,000 Undocumented Workers While Navigating Between Left and Center

Candidate Raphaël Glucksmann finds himself at the heart of a delicate electoral balancing act, attempting to reconcile left-wing principles with an appeal to disillusioned centrist supporters. He recently sought to deny any affiliation with Macronism or the right, clearly presenting himself as a "candidate of the left," while putting forward a package of economic and social proposals, such as raising vocational training allowances for students to €1,000 and pushing for an "ecological revolution."

The Immigration File: The Card of Regularizing Undocumented Workers

Among the most prominent issues concerning a broad segment of immigrants and foreigners in France, Glucksmann endorsed a proposal put forward by Paul Christophle, deputy for the Drôme department and head of the Socialist Party's left wing, which explicitly calls for the regularization of 300,000 undocumented migrant workers (Sans-papiers). This proposal is expected to be officially introduced as part of the Socialists' parliamentary initiatives on November 19, a move seen by those close to him as a compromise solution combining humanitarian and economic dimensions acceptable to both the left and parts of the liberal center.

In a related context, Glucksmann warned against being drawn into right-wing rhetoric on immigration, criticizing statements made by Édouard Philippe regarding what the latter described as an "overrepresentation of youth of immigrant background" in the violence witnessed by the country on October 17. Glucksmann asserted on BFMTV that stepping onto the opponent's terrain and adopting their terminology paves the way for losing the political battle.

Livelihood Pledges and Criticisms of Macron's Record

To attract workers and improve their purchasing power, Glucksmann proposed reducing the General Social Contribution (CSG) levied on wages to directly increase net salaries, with the measure funded through additional taxes on large inheritances. The candidate did not spare his criticism of Emmanuel Macron’s last ten years in power, characterizing them as having damaged the country and bequeathed it €1,300 billion in additional debt, alongside worsening crises in vital sectors affecting daily life, such as public schools and hospitals, as well as a decline in future investments.

Positioning Challenges and Polling Concerns

Despite his efforts to hold the middle ground under the banner of "campaigning on both shores," Glucksmann has faced on-the-ground difficulties. On November 5, he was forced to leave a Paris demonstration against the rising cost of living less than an hour after arriving due to heckling. The figures also highlight the fragility of his position; an Elabe poll published on October 17, 2026, revealed that only 39% of his potential voters are certain to cast their ballots for him, underscoring the difficulty of convincing voters with a platform that attempts to straddle political contradictions.