Teddy Riner candidacy 'illustrative of this hunger for an alternative' to Le Pen or Mélenchon

As Teddy Riner throws his hat in the race for the French presidency, amid France's sociopolitical and economic crises, François Picard is pleased to welcome Lex Paulson, Director of Executive Programs at UM6P School of Collective Intelligence at at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. The prospect of Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner entering France's presidential race raises questions that extend well beyond the political ambitions of a celebrated and beloved athlete. At a time when traditional parties are struggling to mobilize voters and the political center remains deeply fragmented, Riner's emergence points to a broader transformation of French politics weathering multiple crises: the growing importance of personal credibility, public visibility and the capacity to embody an alternative to established political elites.

Paulson argues that the changing relationship between voters and political institutions is reshaping the conditions under which political outsiders can emerge.

"The currency of politics now is no longer just money to buy television advertisements or open offices. It's the ability to capture attention."

For Paulson, Riner's celebrity status gives him a considerable advantage in an increasingly fragmented media environment. Yet visibility alone does not confer political credibility. While the Olympic champion's public commitments against racism and xenophobia may resonate with voters, Paulson questions whether he has articulated a sufficiently developed political vision to become a serious presidential contender.

The deeper issue, however, is not whether Riner can win. It is what his potential candidacy reveals about the weakness of France's traditional political alternatives and the growing demand for leaders whose personal histories, values and commitments resonate with citizens.

"Voters don't vote for policies. Voters vote for people they sense will stand up for them."

Paulson's analysis connects this demand for political identification to a wider crisis of democratic representation. Voters, he suggests, increasingly perceive professional politicians as a distant governing class that listens to citizens only during electoral campaigns.

"People don't feel like they're being listened to except for the few weeks before an election."

Seen in this light, Riner's emergence is less an isolated celebrity phenomenon than a symptom of the changing relationship between political authority, public trust and democratic participation. The central challenge facing France's next generation of leaders may therefore be not simply to develop compelling policies, but to restore citizens' sense that political institutions are responsive to their lives.

As Paulson concludes, the real political opportunity lies in reimagining governance itself: bringing decision-making closer to citizens and giving them a more meaningful voice in the democratic process.

Our guests

• Lex PAULSON Executive Director of the School of Collective Intelligence, Morocco's Mohammed VI Polytechnic University