Former French prime minister Michel Barnier, 74, announced on 15 July that he will run in the by-election for Paris’s second parliamentary constituency, set for September. Barnier, who has lived in the district for more than a decade and remains a member of Les Républicains, said his bid aims to unite the right and centre and give the capital “a strong and reliable voice.” The seat became vacant after Renaissance deputy Jean Laussucq and two other lawmakers were forced to resign on 11 July when the Constitutional Council rejected their 2024 campaign accounts. Laussucq’s irregular spending totalled €7,030—about 21% of his reported expenses—rendering him ineligible and triggering the partial vote. Barnier’s return to the National Assembly would give LR its only deputy in Paris and could bolster the party ahead of the 2027 presidential race. His entry also complicates manoeuvring within President François Bayrou’s majority, where Culture Minister Rachida Dati and Speaker Gabriel Attal have reportedly weighed backing alternative candidates. Nomination deadlines and the first ballot date are expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.