Marine Le Pen formally opened her campaign for the French presidency on Sunday with a rally in Orléans, casting herself as the champion of order and national identity. Speaking to thousands of supporters of her Rassemblement National (RN), she promised a "rebirth of France" and a return to what she called the "rule of law" — a phrase that has become a rallying cry for the far right.
"What we are proposing is not a revolutionary act but a normal breath of democratic life," Le Pen told the crowd at the Orléans convention centre, which organisers said drew 8,500 people. She acknowledged the country's mood, saying: "No one thinks we are stronger today than we were yesterday, nor that after ten years of Emmanuel Macron we are walking through a field of rose petals."
The 58-year-old, who leads in opinion polls six months before the vote, framed her campaign around preserving France's cultural identity — its language, traditions, and way of life. Her speech was punctuated by cheers and waving tricolour flags.
A promise of security and sovereignty
Le Pen devoted much of her address to security and justice, criticising what she described as the laxity of the judicial system under Macron. She referenced the looting and clashes that broke out on the fringes of cost-of-living protests on 17 October, asking: "Who can claim there is a rule of law when hordes come to ransack and burn our buildings, or carry out real raids in front of law-enforcement officers who have been deliberately disarmed, both materially and morally?"
"The rule of law is not the law against the state," she insisted, promising "certainty" that cases would be brought and sentences carried out, as well as the expulsion of foreign offenders. She also reiterated her "national priority" doctrine, calling for "a double border: French and European."
On foreign affairs, Le Pen avoided naming Ukraine directly but vowed that France "will not send" its young people "to die in reckless or irresponsible military adventures, and even less in wars that are not ours."
Bardella attacks the left, faces protest
Before Le Pen took the stage, RN president Jordan Bardella delivered a fiery introduction, accusing the government of having "abdicated even the idea of protecting our compatriots." He claimed his party was "the only option capable of restoring order and bringing back authority." As the crowd chanted "Macron, resign," Bardella responded: "Don't worry, he won't be long before he is going, it's planned and it's coming soon."
Bardella also targeted La France Insoumise (LFI) and its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who has backed student protests and the broader social movement. He accused the hard-left party of "fanning the flames of insurrection," which he said disqualified it "from aspiring to the highest offices of the state."
His speech was briefly interrupted by activists from the Union of French Jewish Students (UEJF), who unfurled a banner reading: "Bardella re-elected: racism and antisemitism do not bother the RN, quite the opposite." The protest referenced a Mediapart report alleging that Bardella had deleted antisemitic messages from an old Facebook account. Bardella rejects the accusations. He responded by calling on the crowd to sing the Marseillaise, saying "not to give publicity to the far left, which hates democracy."
A 'winning ticket' takes shape
The rally came a day after the RN's congress, held under heavy police protection, at which Bardella was re-elected party leader with 98.98% of the vote. The re-election formalises a division of roles: Le Pen focuses on the presidential race, while Bardella positions himself as her potential prime minister. Le Pen has also stepped down as head of the RN group in the National Assembly, with her ally Sébastien Chenu taking over.
Supporters at the rally expressed long-held hopes. "I'm here because I vote for Marine Le Pen. I've wanted her to become president for a very long time, because in my view the country is doing very badly today and I think she's the only one who can turn it around," said Karine, an RN supporter, speaking before the event.
The campaign now moves into a crucial phase, with Le Pen seeking to broaden her appeal beyond the far-right base. Her promise of order and national sovereignty will be tested against a backdrop of social unrest and a fragmented political landscape. The RN's rise has been mirrored across Europe, where nationalist parties have gained ground in several countries, including Bulgaria's presidential vote and recent EU-level probes into far-right groups. Le Pen's campaign will be closely watched not only in Paris but across the continent.
