Marine Le Pen says she plans a fourth presidential bid in 2027 and wants to face a single centrist candidate in the second round to bolster the legitimacy of any victory. She remains the RN's presumptive nominee unless a July appeals court bars her over allegations tied to a fake jobs scheme in the European Parliament; if disqualified, Jordan Bardella would replace her. Le Pen warned a fractured centrist field could allow Jean-Luc Mélenchon to reach the runoff for the first time.
Le Pen Says She Will Run in 2027, Seeks Second-Round Showdown With a Single Centrist
'If the judges don't stop me, I will run,' says Le Pen (STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN)(STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/AFP)
Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN), told AFP she intends to run for president again in 2027 and hopes to face a single "centrist" opponent in the second round.
"I would like a runoff against the centrist bloc,"
The 57-year-old politician — who reached the second round in both 2017 and 2022 — said she expects to be the RN's candidate unless an appeals court in July bars her from holding office over allegations tied to an alleged fake jobs scheme in the European Parliament. "If the judges don't stop me, I will run," she said.
Le Pen added that if she is disqualified, the party's leader, 30-year-old Jordan Bardella, would step forward as the RN's candidate.
Why a Single Centrist Matters
Le Pen argued that a united centrist ticket would strengthen the legitimacy of the eventual winner. "It will be necessary to have the strength of a vote in favour of a chosen candidate — not one cast merely to reject the other candidate," she said, underscoring her view that a fragmented centrist field could benefit rivals.
Who Could Lead the Centrists?
So far, the most prominent centrist contender appears to be former prime minister Édouard Philippe, leader of the Horizons party, who was recently re-elected mayor of Le Havre. Le Pen warned that if centrists fail to coalesce around one candidate, the hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon (France Unbowed, LFI) could reach the second round for the first time.
Polarisation and Recent Tensions
The far right has intensified attacks on the hard left following the fatal February beating of a far-right activist in Lyon, an incident authorities have linked to elements of the hard left. Le Pen has also sought to distance the RN from the antisemitic associations of her father and has accused LFI of antisemitic comments in the context of the Gaza war.
What Comes Next
With President Emmanuel Macron ineligible to run after two consecutive terms, 2027 is shaping up as a pivotal contest. The appeals court decision in July on Le Pen's alleged European Parliament jobs scandal could reshape the RN's lineup and the wider race dynamics.
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