I don’t know if you have followed up on this story, but the French right-wing party ‘Rassemblement National’ (RN) has just elected its new leader, Jordan Bardella, a 27 year old rising star of the party. He has all the right things: a modest family origin with immigrant background, growing up in subsidized housing, active in politics since university, and of course, married into the Le Pen family, the party’s founding family. So after Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder, followed by Marine Le Pen, his daughter, it is now Bardella’s turn, and he has schacked up with Marine Le Pen’s niece. On top of that he is handsome and seems to be full of energy.
The question is though, what is he expected to do? Usually RN’s leader runs for President during the once a five year election process. The last one was this year, resulting in Emmanuel Macron’s re-election (defeating Marine Le Pen in the second round). So when the next one comes around, he will only be 32 years old. That is way too young to be credible as a candidate. On top of that, Marine Le Pen is still in good shape.
Ahhh, you got it. He is put there, as a dual purpose instrument: marketing the image of the party, and serving as the operational man. Thus, leaving Marine Le Pen the freedom to concentrate on further ‘Executive Training’ and preparation for the next presidential elections in 2027!!! And that can be a scary proposal, with the wave of populism sweeping Europe.
Reflect upon the following numbers: In 2022 election, Marine Le Pen lost to Emmanuel Macron by a margin of 41.5% to 58.5%. That seems to be far apart, but when you think that in 2002, Le Pen, the father, lost by a margin of 17% to 83%, and Marine, the daughter, that of 2017 by 34% to 66%, we should be concerned with the meteoric rise. Who says RN cannot flip 1 out every 6 person who voted for Macron in 2022, down the road in 5 years? Especially if Marine Le Pen concentrates her energy on that, now that a dashing young man has taken up the leadership.
I am not going deeper into this analysis, but to close this topic humorously, I must say, when I see Jordan Bardella, I cannot help but to think of many (not all) of the boys bands that have come and gone over the past 20 years. A few young and handsome boys, with limited talent, put on the stage by executive producers and agents with prepared and prepackaged materiel, and have them seduce young crowds on the way to the bank!!!! The scary thing is that this boys band leader may help finance the victory of Druzella 🙁
Paris, November 7, 2022,
Zeejay