Rassemblement National president Jordan Bardella has announced he is a candidate for French prime minister in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Saturday at the Foire de Châlons in Châlons-en-Champagne, in the Marne department, Bardella said he would seek the top government position if Marine Le Pen wins the presidency.
Marine Le Pen officialised her candidacy for the Élysée Palace in early July, despite her conviction on appeal for embezzlement of public funds. Bardella, long viewed as a potential presidential candidate himself, confirmed his intention to take on a primary role in the upcoming campaign.
The announcement was broadcast live on several television channels during an exchange with reporters at the agricultural and trade fair.
Joint campaign strategy
Bardella stated that he and Le Pen would conduct the campaign side by side. Under their shared plan, Le Pen will stand as the candidate for president of the Republic while Bardella campaigns to become prime minister.
The European Parliament member expressed enthusiasm for entering the race. According to French newspaper L'Union, Bardella said he would put all his energy and combative spirit into serving their party's ideas to win the election.
Bardella, 30, took over the presidency of Rassemblement National in 2022 and has served as a Member of the European Parliament since 2019. In France's semi-presidential system, the president serves as head of state, while the prime minister leads the government and directs cabinet policy.
Attacks on left-wing opponents
During his first campaign trip in Châlons-en-Champagne, Bardella launched direct criticisms against political opponents on the left. He accused left-wing parties of seeking to undermine civil peace in the event of a victory by Le Pen.
Addressing calls for civil disobedience from left-wing figures should the far-right party come to power, Bardella characterized the statements as an admission of weakness. He claimed that the left showed a disregard for democracy, the rule of law, and standard electoral processes.
Bardella singled out La France Insoumise, describing the hard-left party's conduct at the start of the campaign as deeply concerning. He asserted that its stance was intended to threaten civil peace, which he argued demonstrated that the party had already accepted defeat in the 2027 election.
He also expressed specific concern over the true intentions of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the prominent leader of La France Insoumise.
Context of the 2027 presidential race
The 2027 election will determine the successor to President Emmanuel Macron, who is constitutionally limited to two terms. Rassemblement National, previously known as the Front National, has established itself as France's primary far-right movement, with Le Pen reaching the presidential runoff in both 2017 and 2022.
La France Insoumise, founded by Mélenchon in 2016, forms the core of the main left-wing opposition group in the French parliament. As initial campaign activities begin, major political movements across France are structuring their leadership teams and strategy ahead of the nationwide vote.
