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As Le Pen’s presidential hopes hang in the balance, Bardella waits in the wings

French courts on Monday banned far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running for office for five years, ruling out the frontrunner for France’s 2027 presidential race. As Le Pen now faces a lengthy appeal process, her 29-year-old protégé Jordan Bardella could well become the National Rally’s new presidential candidate. 

Leader of the French far-right National Rally Marine Le Pen with party president Jordan Bardella during a political meeting on June 2, 2024 in Paris. © Thomas Padilla, AP

Leader of the French far-right National Rally Marine Le Pen with party president Jordan Bardella during a political meeting on June 2, 2024 in Paris. © Thomas Padilla, AP

The clock began ticking for Le Pen minutes after the judge ruled that she and dozens of her National Rally (NR) party members were guilty of embezzling millions of euros in EU funds. As well as a four-year prison sentence, Le Pen was barred from running for office for five years with immediate effect.

While the far-right leader quickly pledged to appeal the verdict, the process could take years to pass through French courts, excluding her from the 2027 presidential race and leaving France’s dominant political party without its figure head.

Le Pen was widely considered the frontrunner for the 2027 presidency after the NR won a parliamentary majority in 2024’s snap elections called by outgoing President Emmanuel Macron.

In the wake of the verdict, one of Le Pen’s staunchest supporters was her 29-year-old protégée and RN President, Jordan Bardella, who echoed Le Pen’s claims that barring her from office was a targeted attack on the right wing and French democracy

"French democracy is being executed," he posted on social media, immediately after the ruling on Monday, with the hashtag  #JeSoutienMarine (I support Marine).

“The duty of the Rassemblement National, and of all patriotic voters, is to be united and mobilized in support of a woman whose only fault is to have found herself in a position to win the presidential election,” he added on Tuesday, before calling on supporters to join peaceful protests at the weekend.

While Bardella has been loyal to Le Pen, he is also widely expected to be her successor and has carved out his own political niche in the NR.

And well as being the party President, he is also an MEP and the leader of the Patriots for Europe hard-right alliance, which is the third largest force in the European Parliament with 84 seats.

He has a slick media presence and is exceptionally popular among young voters – millions of whom follow him on TikTok – but also among voters in general, thanks in part, to his compelling backstory. Before his meteoric rise in politics, he was raised predominantly by a single mother on a housing estate in the poor Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis.

In a 2025 survey, Le Pen was found to be the most popular politician in France, with former prime minister Edouard Philippe in second place and Bardella third. But among NR supporters, Bardella was more popular than Le Pen.

‘A Le Pen fiefdom’

Yet questions remain over whether voters would buy into the idea of a Bardella presidency.

“Bardella is still quite a young politician. It would be a big step up for him to be the presidential candidate in two years’ time,” Nicholas Startin, associate professor in politics and international relations at John Cabot University in Rome told FRANCE 24.

By contrast, Le Pen “has built up a certain trust with voters over the years”, he said.

In the emerging RN stronghold of Champagne-sur-Seine, 80km north of Paris, voters voiced strong support for Le Pen, ahead of June’s snap election.

“Jean-Marie Le Pen was too extreme for me, but Marine has a softer approach,”  said Laurent, who began voting for the far right shortly after Marine Le Pen became party leader.

“I want the National Rally to have a greater presence in parliament, but I don’t necessarily want Jordan Bardella as prime minister,” Jeremy, 37, told FRANCE 24.

For many it may be simply impossible to imaging the NR without Le Pen at the helm. Although Bardella is now the president of the party, Le Pen remains its de-facto leader, a role she took over from her father, Jean Marie.

“For a long time, the National Rally has been a Le Pen fiefdom. There’s always been Jean Marie Le Pen and then Marine Le Pen at the head of it,” Andrew Smith, expert on French politics and history at Queen Mary University, told FRANCE 24.

For now, Le Pen “seems to be in denial” that this will change, Smith said.

In a televised interview on Monday evening, Le Pen described Bardella as “a tremendous asset for the movement.” She added: “I hope we don't have to use that asset any sooner than we have to. In the meantime, I'm a fighter and I'm not going to let myself be eliminated.”

Meanwhile, Bardella is putting up a united front. “I'm going to continue the fight with her to the end, hand in hand. I am totally loyal to her,” he said of Le Pen on Tuesday. “We started this work together, and we'll finish it together: the Rassemblement National will be present at the presidential election in 2027.”

When pushed by journalists, Bardella refused to entertain the idea of launching his own presidential run, in place of his mentor. "Until we have fought this injustice and pursued all possible avenues to turn it around, I will refuse to put myself in this scenario," he said.

Author: Joanna YORK

Source: France 24

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