National Front
Coverage of National Front in the Nexus archive.
- Marine Le Pen ushered France’s extreme right from taboo to political juggernaut
Marine Le Pen has led France’s National Front from being a fringe political force to a significant player in the 2027 presidential election. Her efforts to normalize the party’s image, despite unchanged core policies, have shifted public perception through a deliberate campaign to make the party more acceptable.
- A timeline of Marine Le Pen’s political career and the rise of the French far right
Marine Le Pen faces a court ruling on her eligibility to run in the 2027 French presidential election due to a 2025 case involving misuse of European Parliament funds. Jordan Bardella, her 30-year-old protege and National Rally party president, would replace her if barred. The National Rally, formerly National Front, has transformed into a major political force under Le Pen's leadership.
- What to know: Le Pen’s possible stand-in as presidential candidate is no carbon copy
Marine Le Pen's potential replacement as National Rally's presidential candidate, Jordan Bardella, differs from her in name and political approach. Bardella, who leads the rebranded National Rally, emphasizes business-friendly policies, while Le Pen focuses on working-class issues. The party's shift from the National Front includes distancing from Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and his controversial legacy.
- France’s far right didn’t drop its grudge against Les Bleus. It recast it.
France’s far-right National Rally party has shifted its rhetoric about the national football team, Les Bleus, from criticizing their racial diversity to emphasizing working-class solidarity, reflecting broader efforts to moderate its image. Former leader Jean-Marie Le Pen and his daughter Marine initially dismissed the team as un-French, but the party now avoids overt criticism as the team gains national pride. This evolution aligns with the party’s rebranding from National Front to National Rally.