Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella struggle to stay on the same page

In the wake of a recent court ruling that shortened Marine Le Pen's sentence for embezzlement of EU funds, the 30-year-old member of the European Parliament, Jordan Bardella, found himself stepping aside as the primary candidate for the National Rally party. Instead, he has been tasked with serving as her vice-presidential candidate, a role which has proven to be more challenging than initially anticipated.

The two leaders have been at odds on several sensitive issues, ranging from pensions to the dismissal of a key economic advisor, François Durvye. Bardella had previously questioned a key element of Macron's pension reform, advocating for a more fiscally responsible approach to retirement. However, Le Pen reaffirmed her stance on the issue during a recent presidential debate, going so far as to propose rolling back the reform and allowing workers to retire at 62.

Adding to the tensions, one of Le Pen's top economic advisors, Durvye, recently left the campaign. According to Bardella, this was Durvye's "personal decision," contradicting Le Pen's assertion that it had been her wish. This situation has further clouded the relationship between the two leaders, raising questions about their ability to work together effectively in the lead-up to the presidential election.

Despite the disagreements, National Rally officials have attempted to downplay the tensions between Bardella and Le Pen. They claim that there was an internal debate, and the group ultimately agreed on the proposed hijab ban, which would become a fineable offense if Le Pen takes office. However, some members of the party remain unconvinced, with one member suggesting that Bardella would have been a better candidate for the role of prime minister.