Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s right-wing “National Rally” party, has announced he is prepared to step into the 2027 presidential race if Marine Le Pen is unable to run due to a court conviction.
In an interview with Le Parisien, Bardella said he would naturally be the party’s candidate if Le Pen were disqualified.
“Right now, we must stay united and cohesive. There is no ambiguity: Marine Le Pen is my candidate, and if tomorrow she is not allowed to run, I can tell you that I will be her candidate. I cannot put it more clearly,” Bardella stated.
He also emphasized that “National Rally” would exhaust all legal avenues to defend Le Pen and overturn the conviction.
In addition, Bardella shared that he is preparing to assume the role of Prime Minister if Le Pen runs and wins.
“I am working and preparing. The qualities expected of a potential Prime Minister are more or less similar to those expected of a presidential candidate. The roles are different, but the ability to unite, to listen, to understand the French people — these are the tasks I have set for myself for several months now,” he added.
Le Pen’s political future remains uncertain following a March 31 ruling by a Paris court, which found her and 26 others — including eight European Parliament members from the “National Rally” — guilty of embezzling public funds related to fictitious parliamentary assistant jobs.
Among the penalties, Le Pen was barred from holding elected office for five years, putting her 2027 presidential ambitions at risk. However, a final decision by the Paris Court of Appeal is expected in the summer of 2026, leaving open the possibility that the verdict could be overturned or modified.
