Marine Le Pen Out, Jordan Bardella In: The Aftermath of Her Disqualification from the 2027 French Presidential Race

Plans for Marine Le Pen to run in the 2027 presidential elections suffered a fatal blow on Monday (31.03.2025) when she was convicted of misappropriation of European Parliament funds and barred from participating in elections for the next five years, with immediate effect. This decision—though an appeal is expected—poses a significant obstacle for her potential succession of Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, despite several polls suggesting it was highly likely. The ruling appears to pave the way for Jordan Bardella, the 29-year-old president of the far-right National Rally party, to take leadership and vie for the presidency in 2027. According to French media, Le Pen left the courtroom before her sentence was announced, visibly upset and without making any statements. Bardella quickly responded on X, calling the verdict not only unjust but also declaring that ‘French democracy is being executed.’ If Le Pen cannot successfully overturn the ruling before the next presidential elections, the National Rally may turn to Bardella as their candidate. Le Pen herself has previously praised Bardella, stating he has ‘the ability to become President of the Republic.’ Known for his sharp suits and carefully styled hair, Bardella maintains a youthful charm while promoting far-right ideologies. He has been described as a ‘perfect smile, perfect style’ politician with boy band influences, gaining traction on platforms like TikTok. Allies of Macron have downplayed Bardella’s potential impact, labeling him a fleeting trend. Additionally, Le Pen faced widespread support following her conviction from figures such as the Kremlin, Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, and Italy’s Matteo Salvini. Despite these endorsements, Le Pen remains under scrutiny for her ties with Russia, including loans from Russian banks and her past criticisms of Western sanctions against Moscow.