Bardella welcomes Le Pen's candidacy for 2027 - and positions himself as the campaign's frontman

La Flèche – 08.07.2026: On Wednesday, Jordan Bardella reiterated during a joint appearance with Marine Le Pen in La Flèche (Département Sarthe) that he was pleased that Le Pen could ‘carry our colours’ — referring to the candidacy of the Rassemblement National (RN) for the 2027 presidential election. He said he felt ‘neither relief nor disappointment’ about not running himself. They will work ‘hand in hand’ to make the RN campaign-ready early on.

The appearance came against the background of the recent decision by the appeals court in the case involving allegedly improperly employed assistants of Members of the European Parliament. The ruling has sparked a new round of debate about Le Pen’s political future. The RN said that a possible appeal to the Cour de cassation would suspend the immediate effects of the appeals decision. Le Pen’s circle points out that legal remedies do not necessarily affect the electoral timetable, but stresses that it is simultaneously preparing the organisational side of the campaign.

Bardella presented the division of roles as agreed: Le Pen stands for experience, name recognition and the ability to embody the RN’s core brand. He himself wants to keep the party in the field, schedule appointments and — should Le Pen win in 2027 — take on a role in the executive. The RN has practised such divisions of labour in the past, albeit with varying intensity between the Le Pen family and younger leaders.

Reactions are predictably mixed. For RN supporters, Le Pen’s announcement signals stability. Opponents point to the legal situation and question whether a long series of appeals is politically manageable. Observers see above all a discipline of power within the RN: the party is trying to avoid internal competition while at the same time appealing to different voter segments — traditional core voters on one side, younger and online-savvy milieus on the other.

In the coming months a two-track path is emerging: legally, review by the highest instance; organizationally, building a campaign infrastructure with clear responsibilities. The RN is expected to use regional formats and large rallies to consolidate its presence in rural and peri-urban areas. At the same time the party is likely to sharpen its social and security policy themes in order to set an agenda early. Whether and how strongly legal decisions will influence the campaign’s dynamics depends on the timelines of the justice system — the party leadership intends to prepare for that with parallel planning.