The National Coalition (RN), founded 56 years ago as a National Front, by Jean Marie Lepen, former SS members, their associates and former OAS terrorists – of the organization that was opposed to its departure from Algeria – today is a regular political party. The road to “normalization” was accompanied by resignations, internal disputes, the dismissal of its founder, the change of his name and the change of the party’s image as a pro -Israeli. Now, many are wondering if the party will complete its “rebranding” by completely eliminating its ranks.
The far -right party suffered the biggest blow to date on March 31, when its leader, Marin Lepen, was sentenced to four years in prison and a five -year deprivation of his right to be elected. If the appeals she submitted, Lepen will be out of the 2027 presidential election race, while she was closer than ever to her dream of entering the Palace of the Champs Elysia.
In this case, the dominant person to succeed her – at least for the time being – seems to be her 29 -year -old protector and president of RN, – which will be a radical change for a party that has so far been mainly based on family ties. “We are a political party and in order to appoint a candidate, there must be a conference. But if Marin has chosen him, he cannot be left without support if he comes down to the elections, “said Louis Alio, vice president of the party and former Lopen companion in the Spanish newspaper El País, after his conviction with Lepen and more than 20 executives.
Born in Dranchi, north of Paris and coming from a poor family, Bardella’s career has been determined by his mentor political, but analysts point out that his young age still allows him to disconnect from the past. A charismatic communication politician, with great acceptance by young people, without much knowledge of something specific, was not even born when Jean-Marie Lepen, Marin’s far-right anti-Semitic father, called the crematoriums “detail” of World War II. He was seven years old in 2002, when the then leader of the party managed to qualify for the second round of the presidential election, which he eventually lost by Jacques Sirak.
“You look at the past. I look at the future, “Bardela has repeatedly replied to those who point out RN’s past. At 22, he was already a party spokesman. At 23, he was head of the list for the European elections and from his 26th he was chairman of the party. This year, he even published an autobiography from the Fayard publishing house that has become a best-seller.
Excessively young?
Of course, although his age allows him to chart a different political path, Bardella is considered to be very young, even according to Marin Lepen, who considered him successor. Two weeks ago, in an interview with French Le Figarorevealed what he would do if he lost the 2027 presidential election. “This will be my last campaign,” he said, adding that “in 2032, Zordan will be 36 years old.” That is, until then he will be large enough and experienced to be a RN candidate.
In a televised interview on Monday afternoon, a few hours after her conviction announced, Lepen described Bardelas as “a huge advantage for the movement”, adding: “I hope we do not need to use it earlier than we should.”
It is noted that when today’s President Emmanuel Macron was elected to his office in 2017, he was 39 years old – the youngest president in modern France. Prior to him, the average age of French presidents ranged to 58.5 years.
Odoxa poll for the Public Sénat network, published on March 31 -before Lepen’s conviction -showed that 60% of RN supporters prefer Bardelas to Lepen (32%). As far as the French is concerned, the RN president prefers 31%, while Lepen is 16%.
It is worth noting that the same poll shows that only 3% of RN voters seem to believe that Lepen’s condemnation will be a “obstacle”, while 69% believe that its exclusion “will be neither bad nor good”. Of these, 25% believe that its exclusion can actually be something positive, “because it will allow the party to turn a page with Bardelas in 2027”.
He himself, however, proclaims a single front. “I will continue the fight with her to the end, hand in hand. I am absolutely loyal to her, “she said on Tuesday. “We started this job together and we will finish it together: RN will be present in the presidential election in 2027.”
