While not on the ballot herself, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is positioned to emerge as one of the biggest winners in this weekend’s European Parliament elections.
Polls show her anti-immigration, conservative National Rally party trouncing President Emmanuel Macron’s pro-globalist movement in an upcoming election France.
Across Europe, the populist, conservative ideas that have been Le Pen’s long-time call are gaining significant traction. The June 6-9 elections, held in all 27 EU countries, are expected to tilt the makeup of both the European Parliament and the executive European Commission further to the right.
Le Pen’s lead candidate Jordan Bardella has campaigned on promises to enforce border laws within the bloc, ease pressure on Russia, and dial back climate policies – declaring “Macron’s Europe is a model of the past.”
A conservative shift could have major ramifications for the future direction of the European Union. It also stands to boost the 54-year-old Le Pen’s long-held ambitions of claiming the French presidency in 2027 after twice falling short against Macron.
Macron’s struggling campaign has resorted to apocalyptic warnings that democracy itself is under threat.
“Europe is mortal…because war knocks on our door as bombs are being dropped on Ukraine, on our values,” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated.
Still, Le Pen’s National Rally appears the prime beneficiary of France’s protest vote as it was in 2019 – no longer calling to abandon the EU but aiming to reform it as “a European alliance of nations” better serving its populist agenda.
With conservative voters popular and Macron’s globalist movement adrift, this weekend’s elections could mark another step towards Le Pen’s long-sought victory — both in Brussels and at home.