Jordan Bardella will find out whether he is running for president when the Paris Court of Appeal issues its verdict on Marine Le Pen on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

 

France’s far-right star Bardella is about to find out whether he's running for president

Jordan Bardella will find out whether he is running for president when the Paris Court of Appeal issues its verdict on Marine Le Pen on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. If the court upholds her five-year ban from public office, Bardella will officially step in as the National Rally (RN) candidate for the 2027 French presidential election.

 

The Core Conflict

• Le Pen's Legal Jeopardy: Marine Le Pen was previously convicted of embezzling European Parliament funds to pay for domestic party staffers. Her sentence included a mandatory, immediately enforceable five-year ineligibility period to hold public office.
• The Appeal Verdict: The state advocate has requested a sentence that maintains the five-year ban from public office. If the appeals court agrees with this recommendation on July 7, Le Pen is legally disqualified from the race.
• The "Intermediate" Sentence Wildcard: Legal experts are watching to see if the court hands down a shorter ban. For instance, a two-year ban would expire on March 31, 2027—just over two weeks before the first round of the election on April 18, 2027—technically allowing her to run. However, if that comes with a one-year electronic tag mandate, Le Pen stated her candidacy would be physically impossible due to restricted movement.

Bardella's Position

• The Designated Stand-In: Bardella, the 30-year-old president of the National Rally, is the party's undisputed second choice. Both he and Le Pen have publicly stated they will act as a unified duo, but he is fully prepared to take her place if the ban is upheld.
• The Polling Favorite: Should he take over the mantle, Bardella would not enter the race as a weak alternative. Recent polling data indicates he is currently the overall frontrunner. According to an Ifop survey, Bardella captures up to 37% of the vote in first-round scenarios, and other polls show him defeating top mainstream opponents like former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe in second-round matchups.