Prediction-market odds rise for Marine Le Pen in France 2027 presidential race as protests roil nation

A protester waving a French national flag walks past a fire during clashes prior to the start of a demonstration to protest against the "high cost of living", in Marseille, southern France, on Oct. 17, 2026.Thibaud Moritz | AFP | Getty ImagesAs protests intensify in France, Kalshi traders see a growing likelihood that far-right candidate Marine Le Pen will win that country's presidential race in 2027.Student-led protests first erupted in Paris over frustration with school conditions and teacher shortages in September but rippled into national outrage over the country's living costs and public services, including in education and healthcare. Authorities said over 500,000 people demonstrated nationwide over the weekend. Since the protests have started, Kalshi trading activity over who will be the next French president has jumped on Kalshi. Odds for far-right candidate Marine Le Pen have jumped to 53% from 39% in the last month. Just days after the protests began, speculators placed a 44.7% chance on Sept. 26 that David Lisnard, the current mayor of Cannes, would become the country's next president. Those odds came in just a day after he held a major campaign rally for the presidentia...