The president of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party hoped her hope of becoming president in 2027 was “disproportionate, political and partisan,” and explained the court’s decision to ban Marine Le Pen from office for five years.
Jordan Valdera said the punishment for Le Pen’s conviction of embezzling European Parliament funds would deprive millions of French voters of her democratic right to put her in Elise Palace.
Le Pen said she will appeal to the verdict. This said if successful, it would lead to a new trial that hopes to overturn the ban on convictions and office in time for the campaign for the presidency.
If the RN fails, Bardella, considered RN’s Plan B, refused to consider this scenario and said she had pledged her loyalty to Le Pen.
“Marine Le Pen gave me everything about politics,” he said. “It’s her who gave me the opportunity to be in front of you today. All I can do is fight her until the end. We work together, hold hands and work with confidence. I’m totally loyal. They kill RNs and those who think they’ve come out of the game won’t succeed.”
Hours after the verdict that plunged French politics into chaos on Monday, RN has been fighting in a communications campaign on French television.
Bardella, 29, was charged with embezzling European Parliament funds as part of a fake job fraud, the day after a Paris court found LE Penns, including party officials, employees, MEPs and assistants, and 24 RNs.
At the trial last November, he heard how the party robbed the money for his assistants in the EU parliament, but spent it on paying French staff. None of the accused personally benefited from embezzlement.
Le Pen, 56, was also given a four-year sentence, suspended for two years, and worn an electronic bracelet for two years. The sentence will be postponed until the appeal process is exhausted, but the five-year ban on public office positions will be in effect immediately.
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After the verdict, Le Pen went on television and denounced her saying it was a “political decision” by the court, vowing to “pursuing all legal measures” so that she could stand in 2027.
On Tuesday morning, Bardera gave a lengthy live interview with French opinion channel Cnews, dismissing the embezzlement charges as “administrative disagreement with the EU.” He described Le Pen’s ruling as “brutal” and a tragedy against her and RN, the only largest party in the French collective national group.
“If you’re in politics, you’re not above the law, but you’re not below that either,” he said. “As long as she can move the RN, everything will be done to stop us from getting there,” Valdera said. “The place to fight the enemy is on legal grounds, not political. I say to those who rejoice in this decision: Today is us, tomorrow will be you.”
Bardella said the appeals court hearing will be held in time to correct the “erroneous” of the lower court in time for Le Pen to stand up in 2027, with RN voters being ignored as “second class” citizens.
He called for “peaceful and democratic protests” across the country, saying the party will launch a leaflet campaign this weekend.
“We are not Fashoe, racist or far right. We are patriotic, rational people who love our country and fight for the people of France. We are fighting to take power, not to continue to oppose it.”
