Paris: With less than two years until France’s next presidential election, Jordan Bardella, the blue-eyed boy and president of the far-right National Rally political party, is certainly and rapidly gaining popularity. Recent polls place the 30-year-old fledgling at 35 to 37.5% of voting intentions, transforming him from political prodigy to front-runner.
Even as Bardella’s planets and stars seem to be in perfect alignment, fundamental questions surface; Does he have the real capacities, maturity, and independence to serve as President of France, a key player in the European Union and a major geopolitical world power? Or does his flamboyant but limited career mask weaknesses that could shape France’s future?
Swift Rise From Teen Activist to National Leader
Bardella’s ascent is exceptionally swift; entering politics at the tender age of 16, elected regional councillor at just 19, Member of the European Parliament at 23, and at 27 acquiring the presidency of the National Rally.
The young party president’s charismatic “chocolate boy” image and his underdog, humble background as a boy raised by a single mother in a relatively underprivileged neighbourhood of Paris have turned him into a mascot of a sleek, digital-savvy generation. He expertly wields social media, with a TikTok account enjoying 2.2 million followers—largely surpassing his political rivals.
Critics Question Experience, Academic Record, and Preparedness
Despite his promise “to be close to” the French common man if given the chance to lead, detractors emphasize not only on his young age but also on a glaring lack of experience outside politics. After finishing high school with honours, Bardella failed to enter Sciences Po, France’s prestigious research university in humanities.
He then tried his luck at another top French establishment, the Sorbonne, but soon abandoned his academic quest, leaving only a pittance on his CV. He holds no professional acumen beyond party offices.
His record as a Member of the European Parliament isn’t crystal clear either; though present for plenary sessions, his activity in committees is minimal, and his absences were particularly high at the start of his term. This limited record raises questions about his preparedness for national and international leadership.
Populist Economic Promises Raise Fiscal Concerns
The new favourite’s campaign has been engineered around promises to remake French economic and social policy; most strikingly, a sharp reduction in VAT on energy, scrapping income tax for under 30 individuals, cutting social security contributions, and turning the retirement age back to 60 years.
But critics, including consulting firms like Asterès and Allianz Research, say his measures risk ballooning the national deficit to 6.4% of GDP, with public debt surging beyond 117%. Proposed savings, such as anti-fraud measures, reducing immigration-related expenses, and cutting France’s contribution to the EU, cover “only a fraction” of the costs. Thus, the image of economic rigour hides precarious arithmetic and statistics.
Legislative Election Setbacks Reveal Weaknesses
His recent experience in the snap 2024 legislative elections exposed cracks under pressure. After a historic 31.37% in the European elections, the National Rally ended up only third in legislative seats.
Bardella admitted to several faux pas, including poor candidate selection and a lack of a clear government plan. Notably, his performance during a major TV debate was marred by difficulty quantifying the proposed VAT reduction, a moment that only reinforced his critics’ claims of immaturity with complex policy.
Young Voters Drive Bardella’s Momentum
Despite the sceptics, Bardella’s flair is undeniable. Skilled in communication, he wears a “man of the people” persona with pizzazz and relentlessly engages on social media in ways that Gen Z and young millennials can relate to. Thirty-four percent of under-30s say they’d vote for him, outpacing all competitors.
His narrative of authenticity, simplicity, and proximity to ordinary citizens, in contrast to France’s political bourgeoisie, draws its energy from ongoing political disillusionment and a total lack of public faith in Macronism, the neologism used to describe current President Emmanuel Macron’s politics.
Marine Le Pen’s Support Strengthens His Position
Former National Rally Leader Marine Le Pen adores Bardella, declaring him uniquely motivated by “willpower, conviction, and an immoderate love of country.” She has pledged full support to him should her court-ordered ban from public office be upheld, facilitating a smooth transfer of the movement’s leadership.
Identity Contradictions Challenge His Anti-Immigration Rhetoric
Bardella vehemently advocates an assimilationist and staunchly anti-immigration policy, yet his own origins challenge his rhetoric. An investigation by the Francophone Pan-African magazine Jeune Afrique stresses a complex family history: Bardella’s paternal grandfather, Guerrino, born in Italy, settled first in France, then married a Moroccan woman in Casablanca, converting to Islam for the wedding. Bardella’s great-grandfather, too, was an Algerian immigrant.
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A Polarising Figure With a High-Stakes Future
Bardella’s blend of media savvy, youthful appeal, and populist rhetoric places him in pole position. Yet his lack of experience outside the political sphere, economic ambiguities, and identity contradictions feed an intense national debate over what France needs in its next president.
As Bardella himself confessed, “I am the age I am.” Whether France will want to place its trust and its future again in “unwrinkled” hands is the real big conundrum.
