The French presidential election took an unexpected turn this week when Teddy Riner, a celebrated Olympian and judo star, announced his intention to run in the high-stakes race.
asserted
Riner → take → race
“I know what people will say about me: ‘He’s mad.
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He → know → me
He doesn’t know the rules.
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He → know → rules
He has never been involved in politics,’” Riner said Monday in a video confirming his bid for the April 2027 election.
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Riner → involve → election
“If refusing to bow my head and refusing chaos makes me mad, then yes, I am completely mad.”
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I → refuse → chaos
Referencing the widespread unrest and turmoil that has enveloped France since September, Riner emphasized that “the time has come to step up and take responsibility.”
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time → reference → responsibility
The wave of protests started when students blockaded high schools, demanding a reform of what they argue is an underfunded education system.
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they → start → reform
The unrest soon turned into national demonstrations, spurred by multi-generational concerns over cost-of-living pressures.
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unrest → turn → pressures
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to streets across the country, with some protests turning violent.
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protests → take → country
Buildings and vehicles were set alight, while tear gas and water cannons were used to dispel crowds after clashes between protesters and riot police.
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gas → set → protesters
At least 5,000 people have been arrested over the unrest, according to the Interior Ministry, as authorities grapple to regain control of the situation.
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authorities → arrest → situation
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the "unbridled violence" in a televised national address last month and has repeatedly pledged to restore calm.
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Macron → condemn → calm
While the embattled leader told young people their concerns over learning conditions will be addressed, student groups have vowed to keep up the protest pressure.
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groups → tell → pressure
The political instability has only served to raise the stakes of next year’s presidential elections, which will see a successor appointed as Macron completes his consecutive two-term limited stint.
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successor → serve → stint
“I know what it means to fight, to fall and to get back up,” said Riner, positioning himself as the person to bring the country out of its turmoil.
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Riner → know → turmoil
“France does not need a professional politician who recites lessons and quarrels all day long.
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who → need → lessons
It needs common sense, firmness, justice and a state that puts things right.”
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that → need → things
In line with France’s procedure, Riner will require the signatures of “500 elected representatives, in at least 30 different Departments or Overseas Territories, without more than a tenth of them being elected from the same Department or Overseas Territory,” before he is considered an eligible presidential candidate.
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he → require → Department
It’s a tall task for anyone, but especially someone with no discernible political experience.
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It → ’ → experience
Acquiring such signatures “can be a real barrier for a political outsider,” says Rainbow Murray, a professor of politics at the Queen Mary University of London.
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Murray → acquire → London
“[Riner] would have to find independent local politicians and/or people willing to defect from their party nominee to him.”
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Riner → have → him
Macron has welcomed the celebrity addition to the presidential race, telling French broadcaster France 5 that Riner is “a tremendous athlete” who has made the country proud.
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country → welcome → race
“I supported him in competitions and as an athlete, and he is a committed man,” Macron added.
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Macron → support → athlete
Despite the support, Riner, 37, faces stiff competition from figures who have spent years building names for themselves in the political sphere.
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who → face → sphere
The far-right National Rally party, and its candidate Marine Le Pen, is favored among likely voters.
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party → favor → voters
Le Pen was convicted of misusing E.U. funds last year.
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Pen → convict → funds
An appeals court upheld the conviction in July, but shortened her sentence, clearing the path for her to run in the presidential election.
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her → uphold → election
Le Pen has been hailed as a “conservative voice” by U.S. President Donald Trump.
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Pen → hail → Trump
Le Pen and Mélenchon are currently leading in the polls.
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Pen → lead → polls
In an interview with French newspaper Le Parisien, Riner distanced himself from aligning with solely the left or right, saying he instead hopes to become a “President who unites.”
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who → distance → left
This centrist positioning is common in French politics, experts tell TIME.
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experts → tell → TIME
“That's a very French thing, to say that you're neither left nor right,” says Thibault Muzergues, political director at the Dutch-based think tank Shared Ground, pointing to previous instances of Macron and Le Pen using similar rhetoric.
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Macron → say → rhetoric
As Riner prepares for an uphill battle, here’s what to know about the Olympic champion who is hoping to be the next resident of the Élysée Palace.
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who → prepare → Palace
Riner is a celebrated athlete, with five Olympic gold medals to his name
Riner made history as the youngest world champion in judo at 18-years-old, winning gold at the 2007 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro.
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Riner → make → Janeiro
He has since secured his athletic star status by winning five Olympic gold medals, on top of enjoying a 10-year winning streak in his judo matches between 2010 and 2020.
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He → secure → 2010
Interestingly, Riner would not be the first French judoka to shift into politics.
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Riner → shift → politics
Olympic champion David Douillet became a member of the French National Assembly in 2009 and later served as the Minister of Sport.
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Douillet → become → Sport
However, Riner’s political ambitions shouldn’t be taken as a sign he’s set to retire.
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he → take → sign
If he were to become President, he’d still want to compete in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, he told Le Parisien, but only “if the position allows it, and if the French people allow it.
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people → become → it
While Riner’s sports-heavy resume may not include any political experience, it doesn’t mean he’s not a viable potential candidate.
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he → include → experience
…and 27 more, not listed.
The Aporia
