A debonair young man promenades benevolently beneath radiant skies, enjoying the fanfare from energetic throngs of fans who clamour for his attention and selfies. With bodyguards in his train, he jovially poses for pictures, signs autographs, and even indulges in an impromptu sing-along moment. Armed with his charming youthful countenance and irresistible dimpled grin, he playfully pilfers a pair of shades from a marvelling yet thrilled bystander.
This picturesque representation of life journeying through rural France is harmonised by a spirited rendition of Coldplay’s well-loved piece, ‘Viva la Vida’. It easily misleads the unsuspecting viewer into believing it’s a simple music video scene. However, it is in fact a campaign reel for the rapidly ascending figure of the French right-wing movement.
Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old National Rally president, a right-wing group, has amassed an impressive 1.6 million following on TikTok, a number most Members of the European Parliament could only hope for. Among his most viewed content are snippets of him pleasurably munching on sweets, savouring hot dogs or lavishing affection on pet bunnies. One particularly viewed video (over 6.2 million views) depicts him strolling hand in hand with a child donning a Spiderman garb, jovially disclaiming paternity to a delighted entourage. The caption beneath proclaims that the youth is by their side.
The youth are key to National Rally’s demographic target, reflecting the careful design of these engaging videos aimed at future electorate. The party has strived to redefine itself as a fresh and progressive political player under the directives of Marine Le Pen. In contrast to the tumultuous, racist, xenophobic and anti-semitic tone established during her father’s, Jean-Marie Le Pen, leadership, she is adamant the party’s old ways are remnants of a bygone past. Bardella himself is the embodiment of this proposed transition. Alas, below the surface, the underlying doctrines of the party remain consistent. Themes revolving around identity, tradition, patriotism, sacrifice, and martyrdom still dominate. National Rally still positions itself as the solitary political faction capable of safeguarding the interests of the French nation.
In France and Italy, nationalist parties have seen a rise in success during the European elections, although there wasn’t a widespread triumph of far-right movements across the board. Bardella, who often stays diplomatic in his public commentary, echoes the sentiments of his party’s progenitors. He has publicly backed Génération Identitaire, a far-right collective that was disbanded by the authorities for promoting racial hostility. Accusations of using a secret Twitter account to share racist contents during his term as a local councillor were strongly refuted by Bardella in January.
Born to Italian immigrants, Bardella insists that he doesn’t object people seeking asylum from oppression, yet he complains that France is being overwhelmed with an influx of unfamiliar faces. According to him, “millions” are experiencing fear daily, and he holds the government responsible for their laissez-faire immigration strategies.
Despite being criticized for lacking depth in his political stance, Bardella’s narrative is gaining popularity among voters, including those beyond the typical far-right demographic. A well-dressed man backing Bardella’s success at the polls argues that immigrants aren’t the issue but immigration is France’s paramount problem. This man was enjoying lunch with his peers at a Bordeaux café, one of whom is of Arab heritage, and all, like Bardella, are 28. They all cast their votes for Bardella the previous Sunday. They believe that Bardella is a patriot and that the far right is unjustly stigmatized as they voice their desire for political change.
The views are different on other Bordeaux streets, a predominantly left-wing city, where the National Rally managed a mere 13% of votes. Many young residents don’t feel engaged by Bardella’s agenda but his social media presence hasn’t gone unnoticed. Bardella’s charismatic, composed, and effective conveyance of his ideas is deemed somewhat daunting by some.
People who have been closely watching have pointed out that Bardella’s polished performance is the result of rigorous media training. After becoming a member of the National Front when he was just 16, Bardella quickly rose to prominence, becoming a favoured disciple of Le Pen and propelling the party to a triumphant result in the last European elections, securing them the top spot with 23% of the vote. He subsequently ascended to the role of party president in 2022.
Macron’s high stake gamble is much akin to engaging in a game of Russian roulette, thereby putting his legacy at risk and leading France into a period of significant political turmoil.
Bardella often reflects on his childhood which was spent in Gabriel-Péri, a working-class suburb in Saint-Denis, to the north of Paris. Raised by a single mother, he insists that his residential block was a hotspot for “Islamic fundamentalists” and narcotics traffickers. However, the young Bardella opted for private education and also imparted French lessons to the children of immigrant families residing in the local vicinity.
His aptitude for communication is clear. But there are those who wonder whether he has enough experience to lead, and whether the French populace is ready to give control to the extreme right. Should his party clinch a majority in the swift elections slated for weeks before the Olympic games commence, Emmanuel Macron would have no option but to accord Bardella the position of Prime Minister. In such circumstances, Macron would continue to steer defence and foreign policy matters, but would lose sway over internal affairs, including immigration policy. However, preliminary polls indicate that a motley coalition or stalemate in parliament may be a more plausible outcome.
Regardless of whether Macron aims to call the bluff of the voters, catch his political adversaries off-guard, or is simply optimistic that voters will rally around him – as in the previous scenario when they supported him to prevent Marine Le Pen from securing the presidency – he is certainly taking an audacious risk, thus jeopardising his legacy and propelling France into a state of intense political instability. However, since his party has failed to maintain an overall majority since 2022, Macron has found it increasingly difficult to enact legislation and hence, probably considered it inevitable that parliament may be disbanded via a no-confidence vote.
Included in a Coldplay tune are these words: “Revolutionaries await my head on a plate” and “Now the old king is dead, long live the king.” Could this be a veiled warning to Macron from the Bardella brigade?
Sharon Gaffney is an independent journalist based in Paris.