Jordan Bardella requires a clean criminal record to be an RN candidate, while Marine Le Pen is under threat of conviction

“Not having a conviction on your criminal record is for me a number one rule when you want to be a parliamentarian of the Republic. » Invited on the evening of Monday, November 18 on BFM-TV, the president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, seemed to formulate a rule which could prohibit Marine Le Pen from wearing the colors of her party in the event of early legislative elections, or even on the occasion of the next presidential election.

The leader of the far-right party is being prosecuted, along with 24 other defendants, by the courts who suspect her of having hired European parliamentary assistants “fictitious” who actually worked for the party. On Wednesday, November 13, the prosecution requested ineligibility sentences against Marine Le Pen and the 24 other defendants – party executives, ex-MEPs and former parliamentary assistants –, “modulated” depending on each person's responsibilities. The prosecution requested five years in prison, including two years of ineligibility, and five years of ineligibility, against the head of the deputies of the National Rally (RN). A fine of 300,000 euros was also requested against him.

Mr. Bardella, who is not himself being prosecuted, strongly contested the conclusions of the prosecution, denouncing a “relentlessness” as well as“an attack on democracy”. At 29 years old, the president of the National Rally, who appears to be a likely recourse if the judges' decision – expected at the beginning of 2025 – followed the ineligibility requisitions, nevertheless believes that the requirement of exemplarity must be the rule for all at the National Rally.

Invited on BFM-TV to comment on the problematic candidates presented by the RN during the last legislative elections, the latter assured that a clean criminal record will be required from anyone wishing to wear the colors of their party in the next elections.

“This is always the policy we have followed”affirmed Jordan Bardella, establishing this principle as “rule number one” upcoming inaugurations.

“What if Marine Le Pen is convicted? Even if there is no ineligibility, even if there is no provisional execution? Marine Le Pen cannot be a candidate? »the journalist Maxime Switek then reiterated. “Yes, with ifs… There is a call [possible] »the MEP hastened to clarify. “The call will not confirm [une éventuelle condamnation]since Marine Le Pen is totally innocent”repeated Jordan Bardella, while conceding that the rule of a clean criminal record should be valid “for everyone”.