French populist leader Marine Le Pen has stated that if the appeal against her five-year election ban is unsuccessful, she will step aside and support her deputy, Jordan Bardella, in the race to replace President Emmanuel Macron.
The political fate of three-time presidential candidate and National Rally (RN) leader Marine Le Pen is likely to be sealed in three months, when her case before the Court of Appeals is set to conclude over the controversial five-year ban from running for public office over allegedly spending EU party funds to finance RN operations in France.
Le Pen’s sentence was imposed immediately, rather than allowing for the return of presumption of innocence during appeal, as is typically afforded in France, meaning that were an election to be held today, she would be prohibited from entering the race even though the legal avenues to clear her name have not yet been exhausted.
While her colleagues has rallied around her against what they claim is lawfare efforts to block the party’s ascent, and she still remains the National Rally’s de facto candidate for the upcoming 2027 presidential election, Le Pen said on Wednesday that if her next appeal fails, she will throw her weight behind 30-year-old Jordan Bardella, her long-term second in command.
“It seems obvious to me,” she said per Le Figaro of backing Bardella. “It would be very difficult, but I believe it is a decision that is in the best interest of the country.”
Le Pen added that she plans on continuing her appeals to the highest authority, the Court of Cassation, but acknowledged that the timing may derail any hopes of entering the 2027 presidential race.
“I will obviously appeal to the Court of Cassation. I will defend my rights and my innocence to the very end,” she said, but added: “If the Court of Appeal issues its ruling, probably in September, I’m not going to let it drag on, because I’m committed to seeing our ideas come to power.”
While the “political death sentence” for a front running candidate would often squander the hopes of victory for an outsider party like the National Rally, the party benefits from having a strong “plan B”.
Indeed, polling last month found that Bardella may actually have a better chance of winning the presidency than his longtime political mentor, with an Ifop survey showing him performing better in various head-to-head matchups than Le Pen.
Despite being just 30 years of age, Bardella has been involved in National Rally politics for over a decade and has demonstrated political aptitude, steering his party to a sweeping victory over Macron’s forces in last year’s European Parliament elections.
Already a household name in France, Bardella has further solidified his place at the centre of political discourse in the country with a successful tour promoting his recent book, What the French Want.
Bardella confirmed in April that he would run in 2027 as a “plan B” if Le Pen is ultimately barred, saying: “At this moment, we have the urgent need to stay united. There is no ambiguity about the fact that Marine Le Pen is my candidate, and that if she were to be prevented tomorrow, I think I can tell you that I will be her candidate.”
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