The leader of France’s Rassemblement Nationale Jordan Bardella has said he is ready to run for president in 2027 if Marine Le Pen is barred from running, French media reported on Monday.
“There is no ambiguity about the fact that Marine Le Pen is my candidate, but that if she was prevented [from running] tomorrow, I think I can tell you that I would be her candidate,” the politician said.
Bardella noted that the party will use all possible legal avenues to defend Le Pen, saying she is presumed innocent. He also added that Rassemblement National intends to defend her innocence in the case. According to the latest polls, Bardella is the favourite for the 2027 presidential race.
Bardella has previously avoided direct answers to questions about his possible participation in the presidential election.
On March 31, a Paris court found Le Pen and eight MPs from the National Rally party guilty in the parliamentary aides case. She was sentenced to four years in prison, two of which will be suspended, and banned from running for public office for five years. If the sentence is not overturned before the 2027 presidential election, Le Pen will not be able to participate.
