Description

With new pip version 26.0 the option --pre is broken.
With prior version, running pip install ... --pre fetch the latest pushed version (included prerelease), with 26.0 it fetch the latest stable version.

Expected behavior

Option --pre should get last version (including pre-release) as documented.

pip version

26.0

Python version

3.11

OS

Linux

How to Reproduce

1. Work in a venv
2. Use pip 25.0 pip install --upgrade pip==25.0
3. Run pip install --no-cache --extra-index-url https://test.pypi.org/simple/ forepaas --pre and see in logs that it will fetch forepaas-1.3.8a.... (check on test pypi the version if has beenupdated https://test.pypi.org/project/forepaas/#history)
4. Remove package pip uninstall forepaas
5. Upgrde pip pip install --upgrade pip
6. Run pip install --no-cache --extra-index-url https://test.pypi.org/simple/ forepaas --pre and see that it will fetch last stable version (forepaas-1.3.7 when i'm writing this ticket)

Output

No response

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow the PSF Code of Conduct.