Marine Le Pen launches 2027 French presidential campaign in Orléans

Marine Le Pen formally launched her campaign for the 2027 French presidential election on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with a speech to about 10,000 National Rally (RN) members at the party's congress in Orléans. The far-right leader enters the race as the clear frontrunner in the polls, a day after more than 400,000 people marched across France against the cost of living and after Jordan Bardella was re-elected party leader with 98.98% of the vote.

The Orléans congress

The two-day congress in Orléans, about 120 kilometres south of Paris, was the RN's first big event of the presidential season. On Saturday, the party announced that Bardella, 31, had been re-elected leader in an uncontested vote of members held online from September 21 to October 22.

National Rally congress, Orléans	Details
Dates	Saturday–Sunday, October 24–25, 2026
Members attending Le Pen's speech	About 10,000
Bardella's leadership vote	98.98% (75,497 votes; 779 blank ballots)
Members' turnout	Nearly 68%
Theme of Le Pen's speech	"Rebirth" (according to her team)
Counter-march on Saturday	About 13,000 (police); organisers claimed twice as many

Le Pen's team said her first campaign speech would centre on the theme of "rebirth" and aim to bring a message of optimism six months before the vote. The party presents Le Pen and Bardella as a "winning ticket": Le Pen would run for the presidency, while Bardella would become prime minister if the RN also wins a majority in parliament. Bardella told activists he would "need you" to get her to the Élysée Palace.

Her pitch to voters

Le Pen has accused President Emmanuel Macron's centrist government of being soft on violent protesters and of lacking authority, while the RN has backed the police during the recent unrest. She has promised to cut the cost of living by capping household energy bills and lowering taxes, and to reduce France's contribution to the European Union budget. She is critical of NATO and of French military support for Ukraine against Russia.

The polls

Poll	Le Pen, first round
Ipsos (published October 24, 2026)	32–34%
Highest recent survey	Up to 38%

Pollsters say Le Pen would win the first round by a wide margin. Some surveys suggest far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon of La France insoumise would be her most likely opponent in the second round. A majority of people questioned by Ipsos said the government bears responsibility for the current crisis.

Background

Le Pen, 58, has run for president three times. She lost to Macron in the runoffs of 2017 and 2022, but her share of the vote rose from about a third to more than 41%. Since then, the RN has become the largest single party in the National Assembly, while Macron's camp has lost its majority and France has gone through several prime ministers.

Macron cannot stand again in 2027 because French presidents are limited to two consecutive terms. His centrist camp has not yet settled on a candidate, and the left remains divided.

The congress came during the biggest wave of protests in France in years. A movement that began with students demanding more teachers and better schools has grown to include unions and yellow vests angry about wages and prices. On Saturday, more than 400,000 people marched, and police arrested more than 1,300 people after evening clashes.

Reactions

Thousands of people marched through Orléans on Saturday against Le Pen and her party, joined by students, unions and left-wing leaders, including Socialist leader Olivier Faure and CGT union head Sophie Binet. A further anti-fascist rally was called on the city's southern outskirts on Sunday. Police set up checkpoints around Orléans and filtered traffic into the city.

Why it matters

France is the EU's second-largest economy, a nuclear power and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. A Le Pen presidency would bring sharp changes on immigration, the EU budget and support for Ukraine, which is why European governments and markets are watching the race closely. For countries such as Pakistan, India and the Gulf states, French policy on immigration, trade and defence sales could also shift.

What happens next

The first round of the presidential election is due in April 2027, with a runoff two weeks later in May. Other parties are expected to choose their candidates in the coming months. Unions have called strikes from November 5, and yellow vests plan more protests on October 31, keeping the cost-of-living crisis at the centre of the campaign.