Around the world, right-wing populists are mired in allegations of corruption: Donald Trump in the United States, Nigel Farage in the UK, and now Marine Le Pen in France. Although French courts recently cleared Le Pen to run in next year’s presidential election, she carries significant legal baggage. Therefore, the National Rally (RN) should seriously consider running its deputy, Jordan Bardella, instead.
Last March, a court convicted Marine Le Pen of embezzling European Parliament funds. More than a year later, an appeals court upheld the conviction and sentenced her to one year of house arrest. Although the court ruled that she remains eligible to serve as president, she must wear an ankle monitor, which severely limits her ability to campaign. Le Pen previously stated she would not run for president if forced to wear a monitor, but she has since reversed that position and plans to run in 2027.
Before the latest court ruling, RN had planned to run Le Pen’s protégé, Jordan Bardella. The 30-year-old Bardella rose rapidly through the ranks after serving in the European Parliament. Despite his youth, Le Pen has repeatedly named him as her heir apparent. As party leader, Bardella became the public face of RN during Le Pen’s legal troubles and spearheaded the party’s campaign in last year’s parliamentary elections—though RN finished in a disappointing third place.
Nevertheless, strong arguments exist for keeping Le Pen as the candidate. First, she possesses far more experience than Bardella; she has been in politics longer than he has been alive. More importantly, while Bardella is the titular head of RN, Le Pen remains the party’s undisputed leader. Bardella was always intended as a backup plan. Finally, RN currently leads in the polls, and Le Pen’s legal issues do not yet appear to be hurting the party. As a result, there is no urgent need to replace her.
That said, compelling reasons exist for running Bardella instead. Le Pen’s corruption conviction will likely weigh heavily on voters’ minds as the election approaches. Although it has not damaged her current polling, the issue will become more prominent with undecided and centrist voters. RN’s core base may remain loyal, but the party must broaden its appeal for the second round.
Le Pen’s conviction may also weaken her support even on the right. While she enjoys strong backing among RN voters, roughly one-third do not support her candidacy. To win in 2027, the party needs both a solid base and a wider coalition.
Additionally, Le Pen still carries the controversial legacy of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded the National Front (now RN) with former Nazi collaborators. Despite her efforts to modernize the party and distance it from his anti-Semitism, racism, and extremism, her surname retains significant negative baggage. Bardella carries none of this historical weight and would help RN fully separate itself from its controversial origins.
Another practical concern is Le Pen’s restricted mobility. The ankle monitor will hamper her campaign travel, even if restrictions are eased during the day or while appeals continue. The 2027 presidential race is certain to be highly competitive, so RN needs a candidate who can campaign freely across France.
Finally, Bardella offers more viable economic policies. Although he and Le Pen agree on immigration, they diverge on economics. Le Pen supports France’s generous welfare state, protectionism, and lowering the retirement age back to 62. France’s skyrocketing debt and sluggish growth make these policies unaffordable. Bardella represents the more free-market wing of the party. To control debt and revive growth, France must reduce regulatory burdens rather than expand welfare or embrace protectionism.
It isn’t just French voters who are paying attention; Le Pen’s campaign is attracting international support as well. Notably, entrepreneur, inventor, and former head of DOGE, Elon Musk, also supports Le Pen. However, what Musk doesn’t realize is that while Le Pen is popular with her base, she may be less likely to win than Bardella. If Musk and other RN supporters want immigration reform in France, they would be wise to support the candidate with the best shot of winning.
A large part of Le Pen’s appeal is her hard stance on immigration, something RN would not lose if they ran Bardella. While Le Pen’s economic policies may help win votes, this doesn’t distinguish her from the other candidates. By running Bardella, RN maintains its strong stance on immigration while opening the door to free market ideas.
Like her populist counterparts in Britain and the United States, Marine Le Pen has tapped into widespread voter anger. She currently leads in presidential polls, but much can change before 2027. If the National Rally wants to win, it must field its strongest candidate—and Jordan Bardella may be that candidate.
