Jordan Bardella was elected president of the National Rally on Saturday with nearly 85% of the vote against Louis Aliot, outgoing leader Marine Le Pen announced at a party congress in Paris. “I want to express my gratitude, and say thank you, to Marine Le Pen,” said the 27-year-old MEP on Saturday November 5 during his victory speech.
>> Jordan Bardella elected president of the National Rally: the coronation of a faithful but ambitious lieutenant of Marine Le Pen
If this is the first time since its creation 50 years ago that the far-right party has not been chaired by a Le Pen. What does it change ? At first glance, no change. Firstly because the real power is now with the group in the Assembly, and there Marine Le Pen continues to reign. Then, because if he does not bear the name, Jordan Bardella is in a relationship with one of the granddaughters of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder, who also warmly congratulated him this weekend. The RN therefore remains a family SME. And then, the new president of the party displays his loyalty. On Saturday, he therefore paid him a vibrant tribute to Marine Le Pen. He claimed he owed her everything! Note that 11 years ago, Marine Le Pen had used exactly the same words to greet her father, whom she succeeded… And the conflict was not long in coming.
And, this time too, a rivalry could appear. This weekend, a clash spoiled the party and it illustrates certain internal tensions. Barely elected, Jordan Bardella dismissed from the executive office, the governing body of the party, two faithful marinists, the mayor of Hénin-Beaumont, Steeve Briois, and the deputy of Pas-de-Calais, Bruno Bilde. The two elected officials denounced a “purge“. In fact, the RN is a court crossed by jealousies. It is up to the one who will have the ear of “Marine“, as they call him. And some consider the rise of his darling too fast. The young Bardella, 27, seems to them too ambitious and too rushed.
Steve Briois especially denounced a risk of “re-radicalization“because of too much identity. And it’s true that immigration is Jordan Bardella’s hobby. During the presidential campaign, when Eric Zemmour took off in the polls, he encouraged Marine Le Pen not to The new president of the party had also planned to promote as spokesperson the deputy of Gironde, Grégoire de Fournas, also obsessed with the subject. immigration, which has just been guilty of a racist slippage in the Assembly. Given the scandal, he gave up. But Jordan Bardella also maintains very good relations with several executives of the Zemmourist Reconquest party. Let’s say that when the RN claims to repaint itself once again as a government party to cast a wide net, the profile of its new leader does not really bode well for a refocusing…