Marine Le Pen stated it's a relief Jordan Bardella could run in the 2027 French election if she is barred due to a conviction. Bardella, the National Rally leader, signaled a softer foreign policy approach than Le Pen's, emphasizing change within the EU and NATO without withdrawal.
Jordan Bardella, French presidential front-runner, plans to challenge the EU's budget and cut France's contributions. While softening NATO stance, he aims to fundamentally reshape the EU, warning against its "outdated" principles and seeking alliances with nationalist governments.
France's far-right National Rally party is using the collapse of the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet program as political ammunition against President Macron's defense strategy, claiming vindication and advocating for a France-first approach.
France's far-right National Rally party is experiencing an internal identity crisis regarding its economic policies, with potential presidential candidates Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella presenting conflicting approaches. Le Pen favors a traditional interventionist state and blue-collar appeal, while Bardella courts big business and free-market liberals. This ideological schism is being exploited by rival parties.
France's far-right National Rally party struggles with conflicting economic messages between potential presidential candidates Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, exposing an identity crisis that adversaries are exploiting.
French filmmakers fear a National Rally victory in next year’s presidential election will bring seismic changes to their industry.
The investigation into the far-right leader comes as former National Rally chief Marine Le Pen battles an embezzlement conviction that bars her from running in the 2027 presidential election.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, founder of left-wing La France Insoumise party, has announced his candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election. He confirmed his run to TF1 television, identifying his key rivals as National Rally leaders Jordan Bardella or Marine Le Pen. Melenchon finished third in the last election with 22% of votes. The first round is scheduled for April 2027, with a runoff two weeks later if no candidate secures over 50%. President Emmanuel Macron cannot run again due to term limits.
Jordan Bardella, front-runner for France's 2027 presidential election, has announced he would visit Brussels before Berlin if elected, promising to confront the European Commission over what he calls excessive German influence in EU institutions. The 30-year-old National Rally leader would break with the tradition followed by the last three French presidents, who all chose Germany for their first official trips. Bardella accused the EU of making France "its trade adjustment variable in order to satisfy German interests" and pledged to reduce EU bureaucracy while defending national sovereignties.
Engie CEO Catherine MacGregor has publicly criticized the far-right National Rally party's energy platform as "bad for France," warning that its proposals to exit the European energy market and abandon renewable targets pose a threat to the country's energy security. MacGregor met with party leader Marine Le Pen at a dinner with top CEOs in early April in an effort to "educate" the party, though she admitted having "much success" yet. With National Rally leader Jordan Bardella leading polls ahead of next year's presidential election, business leaders say engagement is necessary despite concerns about normalizing a once-fringe party.
