Among all the lone rangers of French politics, Dominique de Villepin is perhaps the one who has aged the best. At 71, the former Prime Minister and protégé of Jacques Chirac, who rose to international prominence for his opposition to the Iraq war, is back in the spotlight with his silver aura, a book as a statement of principles (The Power of Saying No), and a new political platform - France Humanist - with which he aims to reach the 2027 presidential elections.
Dominique de Villepin, who was somewhat of a bête noire ("black beast") to George W. Bush with his famous speech at the UN, had been making headlines for days due to his decision to confront the "neo-imperialism" of Donald Trump and bluntly condemn the escalation of the Middle East conflict: "We live in an increasingly dangerous world, without rules and without international law. We are crossing thresholds without realizing it and with no return ticket".
Despite his long history with the moderate right, notably his fierce rivalry with Nicolas Sarkozy - which ended up in court over the Clearstream case - De Villepin has recently gained favor with the left for his denunciations of the situation in Gaza, summarized in his book as follows: "Gaza is not just a local conflict, isolated on the world map, already in flames. It is a symbol and a warning that we must address the injustices and misfortunes of the world".
In his return to the political arena after a long decade of absence, De Villepin has promised to tackle the issue of pensions, repeal the controversial reform introduced by Élisabeth Borne, which sets the retirement age at 64, and instead introduce a "points-based retirement system".
With a series of proposals, using a column in Paris Match as a launchpad, the former Prime Minister announced this week the launch of France Humanist as "a movement open to all, in defense of social justice and the republican order". And if anyone had any doubts, his aspirations are crystal clear: "I respect political parties: they have their role to play. But the President of the Republic must be above parties".
This would be his third attempt, after two failed occasions in 2007 and 2012, and with the burden of never having held an elected position. In his own way, and after leaving Chirac's protective wing, De Villepin has gone his own way and never even obtained a membership card for The Republicans, the traditional right-wing party. These days, he has also harshly criticized his new leader, Bruno Retailleau, for his inflammatory rhetoric and for using the Ministry of the Interior as a catapult for his hard-right agenda.
De Villepin, in a way, aspires to fill the void in the center following the decline of Macronism, challenging those who believe that the country is moving towards an extreme bipolarity between the National Rally and France Unbowed. This space is also sought by Édouard Philippe with his platform Horizons, and former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal with Renaissance, with the permission of MEP Raphaël Glucksman, who this week has relaunched Place Publique with the intention of appealing to the center-left electorate.
Le Monde recently celebrated Dominique de Villepin's "second youth" and emphasized how he still has the demeanor of an experienced politician on the international stage (born in Morocco, raised in Venezuela, forged in the United States) and the ability to describe "an increasingly anxious world". His physical and intellectual stature (a poetry enthusiast, author of dozens of essays, and the acclaimed The Hundred Days, about Napoleon's return after his exile on the island of Elba) sets him apart at a higher level than other candidates, with less than two years to go until the uncertain race to the Élysée.