‘The EU is completely obsolete’: France’s far-right leader wants to shake up Europe – POLITICO

BRUSSELS — Jordan Bardella was never meant to be his party’s presidential candidate.

The 30-year-old member of the European Parliament is the protégé of Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader of France’s National Rally. For years, the two complemented each other. Le Pen was the party’s face and standard-bearer; Bardella ran its operations, led its delegation in Brussels and waited for his mentor to win so he could become prime minister.

Le Pen’s 2025 conviction for embezzling EU funds changed everything, handing her a five-year ban from public office and propelling Bardella into the presidential fray. On July 7, an appeals court will decide whether to uphold the conviction — and, with it, which of the two will be the party’s candidate.