Marine Le Pen’s candidacy for the French presidency presents a challenging prospect for those opposed to the National Rally.
Several centrist and left‑wing Members of the European Parliament told Euronews that, despite expectations that Jordan Bardella— the young MEP considered a likely successor—might take the lead, the veteran far‑right leader Marine Le Pen is expected to attract greater voter support, assuming she remains eligible to run.
Following Le Pen’s announcement that she will contest the 2027 presidential election despite her fraud conviction, with Bardella slated to run for prime minister, many observers in France have questioned whether a complete handover of the party’s leadership would have been preferable.
Nevertheless, poll data indicate that Bardella would likely enjoy broader support in the first round, yet legislators in Brussels are confident that Le Pen holds a stronger prospect of winning the presidency.
“French voters are not seeking an adventurous young candidate; they desire reassurance,” MEP Sandro Gozi of the centrist Democratic Movement told Euronews. In his view, Le Pen is better positioned to address voters’ concerns—ranging from war and energy security to dwindling purchasing power.
Le Pen and Bardella diverge on two key economic matters important to French voters: lowering the statutory retirement age to 62 and imposing an exceptional tax on energy companies’ excess profits. In both instances, Le Pen has advocated the more popular position.
Gozi argues that Le Pen has built her career on portraying herself as a champion of the people against the elite, even attracting accusations of a socialist agenda. Conversely, Bardella seeks credibility with France’s upper class, and his efforts to court that demographic may alienate working‑class voters.
“Everything about him is meticulously crafted to gain access to big industry, even his romance with Maria Carolina di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, daughter of a businessman and a descendant of the former king of Southern Italy,” Gozi remarked.
Against the odds
Le Pen’s history—marked by three unsuccessful presidential bids and a legal dispute that almost barred her from the 2027 race—has cultivated an outsider image that resonates with ordinary French voters, fostering support and empathy.
“People admire her scars,” Gozi said.
Parliamentarians generally view Le Pen’s determined fourth bid for the presidency as a tougher opponent to defeat in the second round than the relative newcomer Bardella.
“She is more experienced and prepared for presidential debates, whereas he would be vulnerable if the discussion moves beyond talking points,” says Manon Aubry, head of the left‑wing France Unbowed delegation in the European Parliament.
Another Renaissance Party MEP, speaking anonymously, considers her the most formidable opponent, noting that she has learned from past errors, such as her harsh debate against current President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.
Socialist MEP Brando Benifei also stresses that Le Pen’s experience is crucial, rejecting the notion that Bardella would have fared better due to youth support.
“He may have more followers, but she has greater appeal among a demographic cohort that is more significant,” he told Euronews, asserting that French youth with foreign backgrounds would not vote for the far right regardless of the candidate.
“All things considered, Le Pen is a more solid candidate for the National Rally and thus a greater challenge for us,” he said.
