France's Le Pen hosts European allies in show of far-right unity
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French far-right leader Marie Le Pen gathers European allies, including Orban and Salvini, to showcase the strength of the Patriots for Europe faction amid rising momentum before France's 2027 presidential race.
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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen leaves Notre Dame du Val-de-Grace church after a public memorial for her father and late far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, on January 16, 2025, in Paris. (AP)
French far-right leader Marie Le Pen hosted a high-profile gathering of European nationalist leaders on Monday, positioning herself and her movement at the heart of a growing continental coalition ahead of France’s 2027 presidential elections.
The far-right summit, held in the Loiret countryside at Mormant-sur-Vernisson, marks one year since her National Rally (RN) party achieved its strongest performance in European elections.
The meeting served as both a political strategy session and a show of strength for the Patriots for Europe faction, one of the three major far-right blocs in the European Parliament, amid rising far-right momentum in Europe, partially boosted by Donald Trump’s return to the White House earlier this year.
Among the key attendees were Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and League party leader Matteo Salvini, Spain’s Vox party leader Santiago Abascal, and former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis. Together, they sought to align positions on core issues such as immigration, EU governance, and national sovereignty.
"The winds of change are gathering," Orban wrote on X after the leaders met at the nearby Château de Fontainebleau for closed-door discussions.
📍🇫🇷 Honoured to join true patriots at the @PatriotsEU Summit in Fontainebleau. Great to meet with @matteosalvinimi, @kingagalMEP, @MLP_officiel, @J_Bardella, @latinopoulou, @tomvangrieken, @AndrejBabis, @Santi_ABASCAL, @MartinHelme, @RobertSlachta, @AndersVistisen,… pic.twitter.com/YqMO7XGpmu
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) June 8, 2025
Italy’s Salvini echoed the message, writing that they were "working for a Europe different from the current one, of the people and not of bureaucrats, a friend and not an enemy of businesses, which does not invest in weapons but is committed to peace."
Legal uncertainty clouds Le Pen’s 2027 prospects
Despite the rallying support, Le Pen’s political future remains uncertain. Earlier this year, she was convicted in a fake jobs scandal that disqualified her from standing for public office.
Le Pen is appealing the decision, but if she remains ineligible, the RN's presidential ambitions may fall to her 29-year-old protégé and party leader, Jordan Bardella.
Bardella, who steadily built his national profile, is widely seen as the party’s backup candidate. Polls suggest he could win the first round of the 2027 presidential election, if he chooses to run.
Asked during a TV interview whether he hopes Le Pen will be president, Orban playfully invoked his previous vow regarding Trump: "Oh yes, I think it would be a magnum, more, more, more champagne that I could drink!"
Bardella emerges as key successor
While Le Pen remains the symbolic leader of the French far-right, Bardella is working to project a broader appeal. He recently appeared in a lengthy TV interview with anchor Karine Le Marchand aimed at softening his image ahead of a potential campaign.
Bardella praised the summit, describing it as a step toward “a Europe of Nations, of peoples, of freedoms, of protections, of identities, of production and innovation, of farmers and entrepreneurs!”
As Macron prepares to exit the political stage in 2027, barred by term limits from seeking re-election, the far right sees an unprecedented opening. For now, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is the only mainstream figure to officially declare his candidacy.
