Le Pen launches campaign with Bardella after verdict

09.07.2026 10:01 HotInfo 17

Marine Le Pen confirmed her candidacy for the 2027 French presidential election following the ruling of the Paris Court of Appeal and launched her campaign alongside Jordan Bardella. The verdict came after the case of European Parliament assistants from the former National Front, in which she was found guilty of misusing public funds. kultura.pravda.sk ↗

The court sentenced her to three years in prison, one year of which under electronic monitoring, and shortened the ban on standing for office so that she can remain in the race for the Élysée Palace. Le Pen filed an appeal, and the French Court of Cassation stated that it could rule on it by early April 2027 at the latest, i.e. before the presidential election. According to recent reports, filing the appeal also allows her to run her campaign without the electronic tag. hnonline.sk ↗

The first joint appearance of Le Pen and Bardella took place in La Flèche in western France. It followed on from their previous appearance in Liévin in the Pas-de-Calais department, where the National Rally sought to project unity ahead of the court's decision. However, the new development shifts Bardella from the position of a possible replacement back into the role of Le Pen's main ally. sme.sk ↗

At the same time, policy questions remain open within the party. According to available information, Le Pen insists on a retirement age of 62, while Bardella also talks about a capitalization element. Polls suggest that part of the RN electorate supports her candidacy, but several voters fear that the legal case will disrupt the campaign. Further developments will therefore depend mainly on the ruling of the Court of Cassation and on the pair's ability to maintain a united campaign. teraz.sk ↗