Jordan Bardella, leader of the right-wing National Rally (RN), has declared his readiness to run in the 2027 presidential elections if Marine Le Pen is prevented from doing so.
This statement came after Le Pen was sentenced to a five-year ban from holding public office in connection with the European Parliament assistants scandal.
While Bardella emphasizes the innocence of his mentor, he admits he is preparing for the possibility that Le Pen will not be able to run.
“Marine is entitled to the presumption of innocence… There is no ambiguity that Marine Le Pen is my candidate, and if tomorrow she is prevented from running, I can tell you that I will be her candidate. I cannot be clearer than that,” Bardella said in an interview with Le Parisien.
Despite his young age (29) and relatively limited experience outside of European politics, Bardella has gained popularity within the party, partly due to his activity on social media platforms like TikTok. Commentators believe his profile complements Le Pen’s image and helps RN reach new voter groups.
An appeal in Marine Le Pen’s case is set to be heard in the summer of 2026. Until then, Bardella plans to “use all possible means of appeal” and continue fighting for Le Pen’s acquittal. At the same time, he has ruled out running in any potential early parliamentary elections to replace Le Pen as head of the RN deputies in the National Assembly.