By Serge Duchêne
The former commentator turned politician, Raphaël Glucksmann, was due to announce on Sunday evening that he will run in next year's French presidential election, joining an already crowded field of contenders, including within the left itself.
At 46, this former essayist and MEP, who heads the centre-left party Place publique, was expected to make his bid official in a prime-time interview on the TF1 television channel.
It was also on TF1 that, on 26 May, the 46-year-old MEP announced that he was giving himself three months "to criss-cross the country", "to propose a new patriotic contract" and "to reunite his political family" ahead of the presidential election.
While the announcement comes as no surprise and will not change much in the short term, his decision is expected to have an immediate consequence: Glucksmann's partner, journalist Léa Salamé, a leading figure on rival public channel France 2, is expected to announce that she is stepping back to avoid any conflict of interest during the campaign.
