Jordan Bardella and the Rise of France’s Newest Political Star

He is handsome, articulate, and dresses sharp. He looks like the ideal son-in-law. The far-right leader-in-waiting Jordan Bardella, 28, now embodies the political stereotype in France in 2024: a skilled communicator who dominates TV and social media while policy concerns lag behind. As Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) secures the position of second in command, Bardella has become the standout figure of French politics, buoyed by his party’s strong—yet alarming—polls for the European elections. He kicked off this Sunday afternoon with a large rally in Marseille.

Polling places Bardella’s list well ahead in voting intentions for the June 9 elections. The latest polls, while to be treated cautiously, place him at about 30% to 28%, well above Emmanuel Macron’s coalition (around 19-18%). When the left runs separately, its forces appear as little more than supporting players. The three main progressive blocs — the Socialist Party, La France Insoumise, and the Greens — sit around 8% to 9% each in voter intentions.

Is Bardella’s personal appeal diminishing the stigma of the Le Pen surname, or do Macron’s difficulties alone explain the RN’s clear lead? “There seems to be a personal coefficient; his personality attracts new voters,” notes a political analyst speaking to a major Catalan daily. He points to younger voters aged 18 to 24 as a key group. Compared with Marine Le Pen, Bardella’s image resonates with voters who lean economic liberalism and with retirees who have historically been wary of supporting the far right. The analyst highlights the weak vote shares for The Republicans and for Éric Zemmour’s bloc as supporting testimony to Bardella’s appeal.

Rising fast

“The June 9 elections will mark day one of alternation,” Bardella asserted in Marseille as his campaign formally began. Speaking to some 8,000 attendees in a packed arena near the Velodrome, RN supporters waved tricolor flags and held banners reading “With Marine and Jordan” while chanting “We are in our home.”

Le Pen’s party has launched a campaign built more on dissatisfaction with the Macron presidency than a radical embrace of Europe. Since 2018, Le Pen’s approach has shifted from euro-skepticism to a nationalist, opportunistic stance. The campaign slogan is “France returns, Europe revives.”

“Those who cannot understand the suffering of the French blame farmers for taking selfies with us,” said Bardella, referring to one of his most effective outreach techniques. He also recalled Macron’s controversial recent farm visit, noting the heavy security presence that limited his movement. Le Pen framed the broader farmer protests swirling across Europe as a perfect illustration of RN ideas and hinted that she would officially close the party’s slate with Bardella as a symbolic gesture.

Officially Bardella does not seek to replace Le Pen but to form a tandem with her. It is widely expected that Le Pen will run again in three years, while Bardella’s rapid ascent raises questions about potential future leadership. Differences over policy, such as proposed minimum price supports for farmers, already hint at tensions in the duo’s dynamic as the party’s momentum continues.

Came from modest roots

Born to an Italian-descended family in a modest setting in the Paris suburbs, Bardella’s background is often cited to explain his meteoric rise within the RN. A difficult neighborhood environment and the daily risks faced by his family helped push him toward Le Pen’s orbit at 17. His disciplined image and public charm allowed him to climb quickly within the party’s ranks.

His path also involved aligning with key figures who benefited from Le Pen’s strategic circle. Bardella initially aligned with Florian Philippot, a leading figure in the party until 2017, and later strengthened ties with Philippe Olivier, a principal strategist and Le Pen’s brother-in-law. The Bardella name started to become widely known in early 2019 when he was named head of the European elections list for that year.

While the ultras remained the party’s leading force after that election, Bardella’s success came with 23% of the vote, nearly matching Macron’s coalition at 22%. Three years later, the party’s leadership shifted away from Le Pen as she handed the presidency to her trusted lieutenant in November 2022. In France, it is common for a party’s chief and its leadership to be held by different people simultaneously.

“From the outside, a likeable fascist?”

“He worked hard and spent months proving people wrong who said, ‘To be a fascist, he looks friendly,’” commented a communications adviser who has worked with Bardella on a TV program. Known for wit and high visibility on talk shows, Bardella has drawn criticism for his relatively limited participation in European Parliament votes. He has attended about a third of some 18,000 votes since mid-2019, and serves on a relatively powerless committee focused on petitions, with critics arguing he has not authored major policy positions. A rival eurosceptic observer even quipped that he seems effectively on a “premium Erasmus.”

For Bardella, the emphasis remains on communication rather than governance. In this regard, his approach to politics mirrors that of the country’s current prime minister, a skilled communicator in his own right who has surpassed Macron in popularity. A similar pattern appears in Bardella’s trajectory alongside Le Pen.

Will this Jordanmania be enough for Le Pen to hand over leadership before the next presidential election? “Marine still has the capacity to run, but Bardella will be a strong presidential candidate in the future,” notes a young observer at the Marseille rally, where a notable contingent of young attendees stood out. The student also acknowledged that Bardella’s youth is a positive lure. “There is a tandem for now, but we will see if it holds,” cautions Camus, who sees possible ideological divides emerging after 2027.