Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure in French far-right politics, has stated that it is a "relief" for her that Jordan Bardella, the current leader of the National Rally party, can serve as a potential candidate in the 2027 French presidential election should she be barred from running.
Le Pen faces a potential exclusion from the race due to a conviction for embezzling European Parliament funds. She has appealed this ruling, with a decision from the court anticipated on July 7. If her appeal is successful, Le Pen intends to pursue the presidency. Bardella, 30, is positioned as the party's backup option.
In recent interviews, Bardella has presented a more moderate foreign policy stance compared to Le Pen's. He indicated that the National Rally does not seek to leave the European Union but rather to reform it from within. Similarly, Bardella expressed that the party is not in favor of withdrawing from NATO's integrated command, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Europe. Regarding the war in Ukraine, he echoed sentiments from other European far-right parties, opposing the deployment of French troops unless they are part of a peacekeeping mission.
When asked about potentially receiving an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump, similar to the support former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received, Bardella emphasized that his primary focus is on garnering support from the French people and voters.
