In March 2017, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Marine Le Pen declared, “A new world has emerged.” Now, after multiple defeats to rival Emmanuel Macron, she appears closer than ever to realizing her ambitions.
Three weeks after winning the European Parliament elections, her National Rally (RN) party secured a commanding lead in the first round of France’s parliamentary elections, marked by the highest voter turnout in three decades. While RN’s victory in the first round was clear, the final outcome hinges on the decisive second round on July 7. President Macron, who surprised allies and opponents alike by calling early elections, has urged voters to unite against the far right.
With 33% of the vote in the first round, RN and its allies lead the race, followed by the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) at 28% and Macron’s Ensemble coalition at 20%. A victory for RN would lead to France’s first far-right government since the Vichy regime, which collaborated with Nazi Germany.
Born in 1968, Marine Le Pen is the daughter of far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. She joined RN at 18 and steadily built her political career, winning a seat in the European Parliament in 2009. After taking over the party’s leadership in 2010, she sought to soften its extremist image, distancing herself from her father’s controversial views and expelling him from the party in 2015.
Despite efforts to “normalize” the far right, Le Pen and her party remain polarizing figures in French politics. Her potential prime minister, Jordan Bardella, has already signaled plans to scale back Macron’s support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. RN also advocates for strict immigration policies and has been criticized for its stance on the rights of France’s Muslim minority.
Le Pen has often criticized the EU for its expansionist policies, arguing that enlarging the EU could dilute its influence and undermine its unity. In particular, she has voiced opposition to the integration of countries in the Western Balkans, viewing their accession as potentially destabilizing and a threat to France’s sovereignty.
During her presidential campaigns, Le Pen has consistently argued that France should focus on its national interests, often advocating for more restrictive immigration policies that would be incompatible with further EU enlargement.
