Jordan Bardella has been overwhelmingly re-elected as leader of France's National Rally (RN), securing 98.98% of the vote in an uncontested leadership election. The result, announced on Saturday at the party's two-day congress in Orléans, is a procedural step designed to project unity ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Bardella received 75,497 votes, with 779 blank ballots cast, according to RN lawmaker Yoann Gillet, who oversaw the vote. Turnout among party members reached nearly 68%, with electronic voting held between 21 September and 22 October.
In his address to supporters before the official announcement, Bardella thanked activists and urged them to rally behind Marine Le Pen's presidential ambitions. "Once again, I am going to need you (...) to lead Marine Le Pen to the Élysée," he said.
The re-election reinforces the division of roles between the RN's two leading figures, who have presented themselves as a "winning ticket" for 2027. Under that strategy, Le Pen is expected to seek the presidency, while Bardella positions himself as a potential prime minister should the party secure a parliamentary majority.
Protests in Orléans
The congress was met with a large counter-demonstration, with thousands taking to the streets of Orléans on Saturday to voice opposition to the RN. Authorities estimated turnout at around 11,000, while organisers put the figure at 26,000. The march, which began around midday, remained peaceful.
Officials had previously expected up to 30,000 demonstrators. Several prominent left-wing politicians and trade union leaders joined the protest, including Bally Bagayoko, mayor of Saint-Denis and a leading figure in La France insoumise. Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure accused the RN of contributing to what he described as a "poisonous, racist and xenophobic climate". CGT trade union leader Sophie Binet also criticised the party, declaring that "there is no worse enemy of working men and women than the far right".
The demonstration comes amid heightened political and social tensions in France, following a renewed wave of protests and serious violence a week earlier. Saturday's turnout was lower than the more than 50,000 people who demonstrated against a National Front congress in Strasbourg in March 1997, one of the largest protests against the party in its history.
Le Pen's major speech
Beyond Bardella's re-election, the Orléans congress is intended to showcase the RN's unity and political programme, six months before the presidential election. Le Pen is expected to deliver a major speech on Sunday setting out her priorities and vision for France. According to her entourage, the address will be a "high-calibre" speech centred on the theme of "rebirth".
The party has already begun presenting its economic and social priorities ahead of the election. Earlier this month, the RN unveiled an alternative budget, challenging the government's fiscal proposals. Le Pen also placed housing and the cost of living at the centre of her political agenda during a speech in Hénin-Beaumont on 14 September.
The RN's rise comes amid broader European political shifts, with far-right parties gaining ground in several member states. The party's strategy of presenting a unified front is seen as crucial to Le Pen's chances of finally breaking through in a presidential race, after her previous attempts fell short. The outcome of the 2027 election will have significant implications for France's role in the EU, particularly on issues such as fiscal policy and migration.
As the congress concludes, the RN is seeking to project an image of discipline and readiness, with Bardella and Le Pen presenting a coordinated leadership. Whether this will translate into electoral success remains to be seen, but the party's internal cohesion is a clear signal of its ambitions.
