Once is not customary. This Saturday morning, in the basement of the National Assembly, Jordan Bardella is kept waiting. The president of the National Rally, who celebrated his 29th birthday the day before, joins, a few minutes late, Marine Le Pen who faces more than a hundred elected officials. This year, the far-right party is making its comeback in the heart of the Palais Bourbon. “26 months ago, there were six of us,” the deputy from Pas-de-Calais says happily, by way of introduction, as she gazes at the thirty or so European parliamentarians and the 120 or so national deputies.
On the agenda, there is no public inventory of the dysfunctions identified during the legislative election campaign, or of candidates singled out for racist, conspiratorial or anti-Semitic remarks. An assessment of the last few weeks has been carried out, but at the RN, party affairs are managed in private. The fate of several “failing” candidates will be placed in the hands of the conflicts commission, as will those of several departmental delegates replaced discreetly. Others have been given internal promotions, such as MPs Julien Odoul and Thomas Ménagé, appointed campaign directors for the next legislative elections (which, according to Marine Le Pen, will take place in less than a year), the former mayor of Beaucaire, Julien Sanchez, promoted to campaign director for the municipal elections, or the MP for Moselle Alexandre Loubet, now special advisor to Jordan Bardella.
Legislative elections, crash test for the party
Newcomers are reminded of the rules in force in the Le Pen ranks. “Let’s leave the yelling and the outrages to Jean-Luc Mélenchon […]we must show the face of reason and competence,” Jordan Bardella repeated. “We told you about our expectations at the last meeting,” continued Marine Le Pen. Seriousness, rigor, humility, exemplarity, camaraderie, cohesion and work. Convincing, training, developing networks. All this is know-how, and making it known.” More than ever, the group’s boss intends to make the National Assembly the party’s showcase as she sees the coming months as a campaign year.
She assures in private that the legislative elections served as a “crash test” to identify several failures, partly due, according to her, to the fact that the party and its federations were neglected during the two years when the focus was on the group in the Assembly. “A party is a human structure that must be constantly solicited, permanent adjustments made,” she assured those close to her. A passable mark, therefore, and a copy to be reviewed for the months to come.
No more room for error
Now all that remains is to perfect his troops. Because the last few weeks have also revealed flaws, including among his most experienced lieutenants. During the legislative campaign, Sébastien Chenu got tangled up regarding the National Front’s program against dual nationals. Jean-Philippe Tanguy, again, provoked the annoyance of the leader by calling Michel Barnier “stupid” before backtracking. “There is no barony in the constituencies, all will be studied by the National Investiture Commission,” warned Marine Le Pen. In short: no one should expect preferential treatment, any elected official could find themselves in the hot seat in the event of a misstep.
Understand, therefore: no relaxation, at a time when the party is preparing to work on a “Matignon 2 plan” which should be completed in March, to follow up with a training session for future elected officials. Edwige Diaz, MP for Gironde, has been appointed responsible for this issue. The most novice should benefit from the advice of a coach for public speaking, and theoretical and practical training focusing in particular on the measures proposed by the RN should be set up. This Saturday, already, the party’s economic program, set to music by the MP for Somme Jean-Philippe Tanguy, was presented to the elected officials, who were strongly encouraged to go and spread the good word to their “local network”.
Realignment between Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen
Because it is also a new electorate that the National Front party intends to pamper in the coming months. “The RN has made progress in the vote of working France and now exceeds 30% among retirees,” rejoiced Jordan Bardella. The opportunity for Marine Le Pen to test in front of her troops her new doctrine, developed during the summer and which is based on a new triptych. “What are we? A central party, whose national doctrine is also central, the latter can be based on a triptych: that of order, justice and progress.”
In short, the far-right party intends to be the party of authority, of regal order, hoping to play on the contrast with the presidential camp and the left, who would become the representatives of disorder. Nothing new on that side, the language element of the “party of order” is already part of the furniture at the National Rally and is regularly distilled by Jordan Bardella. But it is also an opportunity for the leading duo to ostentatiously display a realignment. In her introductory speech, Marine Le Pen drew on themes dear to her heir, such as the question of “power”, or “progress through science”. It is also a way of silencing the few voices that would like to blame Jordan Bardella for the disappointing score in July, who nevertheless acknowledged a “personal defeat”.
“Thank you to Marine Le Pen for her unwavering support and this strong relationship of trust,” the party president repeated to his troops, while urging them not to believe the “nonsense” peddled by the press. “I am often told that everything I feel can be seen on my face,” added Marine Le Pen. “If things ever went badly with Jordan, it would be seen, so things are really going very well. And in our situation, such a good relationship is a political fact, not just a personal one.” Elected officials should take note.
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