Bardella has hardly left Le Pen’s side since an appeals court on Tuesday upheld her guilty verdict for embezzling European Parliament funds and sentenced her to a year of house arrest — but, in a twist, shaved enough time off a lower court’s electoral ban that she’ll be able to run for president in 2027.
Le Pen and Bardella visited the mid-sized town of La Flèche on Wednesday, where they shook hands, took selfies and answered questions about their joint campaign. Le Pen was all smiles and fielded most of the questions, while Bardella, more stone-faced, appeared to be adjusting to his new role as wingman.
Similar scenes played out Tuesday.
As Le Pen traveled from the National Rally’s base of operations to the headquarters of the French broadcaster TF1, Bardella appeared to be the only one in the car with her, apart from the driver.
After her primetime interview — during which she announced her candidacy and that she will appeal Tuesday’s verdict, nullifying her house arrest until France’s highest court can rule on the case — the telegenic, TikTok-literate member of the European Parliament then traveled with Le Pen back to party headquarters without saying a word.
Le Pen and Bardella have for months sold themselves as a package deal, with her running for president and him being primed for the role of prime minister. In her Tuesday interview, the 57-year-old called the pairing “a winning ticket” that is “solid, strengthened by its beliefs, and used to working together.”