The far-right national group (RN from the initials in French) this Saturday elected Jordan Bardella as president, a young MEP of just 27 years who will replace Marine Le Pen at the head of the ultra-nationalist formation.
The choice of Bardella – who as Le Pen’s right-hand man was considered the favorite – was voted at the 18th congress of RN, held at the Maison de la Mutualité, congress center of the 5th. district of Paris.
Bardella won the ballot and got the support of 85% of party members, against the 15% raised by his only opponent, the mayor of Perpignan Louis Aliot.
The young politician it is the most visible face of the new generations of the former National Front (as the party was called until the refoundation promoted by Le Pen in 2018), she even managed to surpass the numbers of her predecessor when she was elected in 2011 to succeed her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen.
Bardella, despite being an emerging value of the French far right, not trying to overshadow Marine Le Penwho will continue to be the main figure of the party.
“I am a candidate for continuity, with the aim of building on (his) incredible legacy,” said the new party president before being elected.
After 11 years in charge, Marine Le Pen decided to retire from the presidency of the party, formerly known as the National Front, which her father, historian Jean-Marie Le Pen, led before her for nearly 40 years.
The deputy will now focus on his work as head of the RN bloc in the National Assembly French, where after the success of the legislative elections last June he leads a bench of 89 seats, the most numerous of the opposition.
In an epic tone, Le Pen evoked the remarkable rise of the group under his command and promised to continue to the foot of the canyon.
“I don’t leave the presidency of our movement to go on vacation. I am still mobilized. There will be no rest for me, as for any of us, until we settle the country“said the ultranationalist leader.
Bardella’s rise, aided by Marine Le Pen herself, has been meteoric since she joined the party at the age of 16.
Born in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis to an immigrant family of Italian origin, Le Pen named him leaders for the 2019 European elections, when he was not yet 24 years old.
RN won those elections in France and became Bardella the second youngest MEP.
With a good presence and a talent for dealing with the media, Bardella is also the companion of one of Le Pen’s granddaughters.
Source: Clarin
