Le Pen, Bardella Split on TotalEnergies Tax as 2027 French Race Hinges on July 7 Appeal
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Le Pen, Bardella Split on TotalEnergies Tax as 2027 French Race Hinges on July 7 Appeal
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29
A dispute over a windfall tax on TotalEnergies has exposed a rare policy split between Marine Le Pen, 57, and Jordan Bardella, 30, the National Rally's two leading presidential figures.
Le Pen backed the Socialist-backed levy, while Bardella rejected adding taxes in a country with 46% mandatory levies, giving analysts a concrete sign that their presidencies could differ in substance as well as style.
The disagreement matters because Le Pen's 2027 candidacy depends on a July 7 appeal after her embezzlement conviction barred her from office for five years.
If Le Pen wins that appeal, Bardella is expected to step aside; if she loses, he is widely seen as the far-right party's likely nominee in a race that could bring France its first postwar far-right president.
As France's far-right courts big business, is its populist economic agenda being abandoned for power?
Could a National Rally president use France's referendum power to hold the EU's future hostage?
The National Rally’s Economic Crossroads: Le Pen, Bardella, and the Battle for France’s 2027 Presidency
Overview
Marine Le Pen has worked to reshape the National Rally (RN), distancing it from its antisemitic origins and boosting its national standing. However, her political future is uncertain due to a legal battle over an alleged scheme that diverted European Parliament funds to pay RN workers in France, resulting in a €4.8 million loss. Le Pen received a prison sentence, and the outcome of her appeal could determine her eligibility for the 2027 presidential election. This situation not only impacts her ambitions but also sets the stage for RN's leadership and France's political direction.