All articles tagged with #national rally
Marine Le Pen will run for president in 2027 despite a Paris appeals court ruling convicting her of embezzling funds from the European Parliament and sentencing her to one year of house arrest with an ankle monitor. She plans to appeal the verdict to a higher court, says the bracelet requirement could be lifted, and will campaign alongside National Rally leader Jordan Bardella, with polls showing her leading in the first round.
France’s Marine Le Pen faces a pivotal moment: a Paris appeal court’s ruling to bar her from the 2027 presidential race could end her long leadership of the National Rally, even as she pledges to back her protégé Jordan Bardella as the party’s de-demonisation continues; with Le Pen still seen as a contender in polls, the verdict could trigger a generational handover or mark the end of an era for France’s nationalist right.
Jordan Bardella, 30, could become the National Rally’s presidential candidate if Marine Le Pen is barred from running after her legal appeal, potentially propelling him from upstart to front-runner amid internal party tensions and questions about experience and policy positions, even as polls show him often leading in various runoff scenarios.
France awaits a Paris appeal court ruling on Marine Le Pen’s €1.4m European Parliament embezzlement conviction. If the five‑year ban is upheld, she could be barred from office, likely triggering RN deputy leader Jordan Bardella as her Plan B; a lighter sentence or electronic‑tag option could allow her to campaign but would complicate her bid, while an acquittal remains unlikely. The decision could effectively set the timetable for the 2027 presidential race and Le Pen’s future in it.
A Paris appeals court is set to decide Marine Le Pen’s eligibility for the 2027 presidential election. Ahead of the ruling, Le Pen and RN leader Jordan Bardella proclaimed unity and vowed mutual support regardless of the verdict, while denying rumours of internal discord. A 2025 court ruling alleging Le Pen oversaw a fraudulent funding scheme tied to €2.9 million could ban her from running if upheld, making Bardella’s presidential hopes closely tied to the outcome.
France's National Rally seizes the collapse of the Franco-German FCAS program to argue for a sovereignty-first defense policy, accusing Macron of pushing European integration while Berlin pulls the plug. The party says France could pursue its own fighter jet but warns the cost is daunting, while not ruling out some partnerships. Analysts note the defeat feeds anti-German sentiment and raises budget questions ahead of the presidential election, as lawmakers suggest a future emphasis on France-first industry and defense.
France’s Socialists tightened their grip on Paris and other major cities in the final round of municipal elections, with Emmanuel Grégoire winning Paris and left administrations holding Marseille and Lille; Nice delivered a notable win for Eric Ciotti of the National Rally, though the far-right overall failed to secure a broad breakthrough ahead of the 2027 presidential race. Turnout was about 48% by 5pm, and several results in smaller towns remained to be declared.
France’s far-right National Rally claimed momentum for the 2027 presidential race after a mixed local-vote night, with wins in Nice and several southern towns but failures to capture marquee cities like Marseille, Toulon and Nîmes; leader Jordan Bardella hailed a “biggest breakthrough” and ongoing local implantation, while critics warned that runoff dynamics could still block a national breakthrough, as polls put Bardella ahead in the first round (about 35%) and traditional parties race to unite against the extremes.
In France’s March 22 municipal runoff, the far-right National Rally notched gains in mid-sized towns and Nice but failed to win marquee targets (Marseille, Nîmes, Toulon) and faces ongoing pressure in a two-round system; Renaissance posted its first big local wins in Bordeaux and Annecy; Paris remains Socialist-led under Emmanuel Grégoire; Edouard Philippe’s presidential bid gains momentum after winning Le Havre; Ciotti’s Nice victory gives the RN a major regional foothold but underscores intra-party tensions with Le Pen; Greens and left-wing alliances faltered in several cities (Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Limoges, Brest); Bayrou lost in Pau, signaling centrists' fragility ahead of the national race.
Socialist Emmanuel Gregoire won the Paris mayoralty by leading a left-green-communist coalition, with poll-based estimates around 51–53% in the runoff, defeating Conservative Rachida Dati. The result mirrors broader gains for the traditional left in municipal elections across France, while the far-right National Rally fared better in some cities but did not seize Paris. Marseille re-elected its Socialist mayor, and turnout was just under 48% in metropolitan France.
In France's municipal runoff, Marine Le Pen's National Rally suffers setbacks in Toulon and Nîmes as it trails center-right in Toulon and a Communist rival in Nîmes, while Édouard Philippe is re-elected mayor of Le Havre, strengthening his prospects for a 2027 presidential bid.
The National Rally posted strong first-round results in France’s municipal elections, notably in Marseille, Toulon and Nîmes, but faces a second-round hurdle as rival lists unite to block it; Bardella remains the frontrunner, yet the March 22 runoffs could still derail the party’s momentum and complicate a decisive 2027 breakthrough.
Two-round municipal elections across tens of thousands of French towns, including Paris, are shaping up as a key test for the 2027 presidential race. The outcome could boost the National Rally’s national momentum while giving center-left and center-right candidates, like Édouard Philippe in Le Havre and Rachida Dati in Paris, a platform to position themselves for the presidency.
Live coverage of France’s first round of local elections shows a Green surge in Lyon, the Socialists leading Paris, and strong performances for the National Rally in Marseille and Nice, with many races heading to runoff next week as parties weigh possible alliances and coalitions.
France’s National Rally casts Quentin Deranque’s death as evidence of rising left-wing violence, urging a U.S.-style “Charlie Kirk moment” to rally supporters ahead of local elections seen as a bellwether for the 2027 presidential race, while investigations probe involvement of anti-right groups and political figures call for debates on political violence and campus restrictions.