Marine Le Pen has returned to Hénin-Beaumont, her political stronghold in northern France, for her first major campaign speech ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Her appearance comes as the National Rally faces reported disagreements over leadership, economic policy, Ukraine and a police scandal involving a former party security volunteer.
Le Pen remains ahead in early polling, but the gathering is intended to reinforce her authority and clarify the role of Jordan Bardella, the party’s president and a potential candidate for prime minister if she wins the presidency.
Le Pen seeks to reset her presidential campaign
The National Rally’s parliamentary group met in Le Touquet, in the Pas-de-Calais region, on Saturday before Le Pen addressed supporters in Hénin-Beaumont on Sunday. The location is politically significant: the northern French town has long been associated with the party’s electoral strength and Le Pen’s own political base.
A survey conducted by OpinionWay for Les Échos on 8 and 9 September placed Le Pen on 34% in first-round voting scenarios. The figure reflects voting intentions rather than an election result, and France’s presidential election is still ahead.
Despite her polling position, the campaign has recently been affected by several controversies:
- Reported friction between Le Pen and Bardella over the future direction of the National Rally.
- Disagreements about economic policy, including pensions and protectionism.
- Internal debate over the party’s approach to military support for Ukraine.
- Questions surrounding an immigration pact between Bardella and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
- A video showing racist, sexist and conspiracy-related comments by municipal police officers in Carcassonne.
What role will Jordan Bardella play?
Bardella has denied reports of a serious leadership dispute with Le Pen. Speaking to BFM-TV, he said he supported her “2,000%” and described their political and personal relationship as unbreakable. He also rejected the suggestion that he was attempting to impose his own line on the party.
However, French media reports have continued to focus on differences between the two figures. Libération reported that Bardella had allegedly said “it’s her or me” on 31 August, while Le Pen was reported to be considering a more prominent role for her niece, Marion Maréchal.
Maréchal’s involvement could be politically important. She supported Éric Zemmour, leader of the rival Reconquête party, during the 2022 presidential campaign rather than backing her aunt. Any renewed role for her would therefore signal an effort to broaden or rebalance the campaign team.
Policy differences inside the party
The reported tensions also reflect policy differences. Bardella has argued that France’s current pension system is not economically sustainable, while Le Pen has traditionally supported a more interventionist and protectionist economic approach.
Bardella has also appeared cautious about making a proposed ban on wearing the veil in public spaces a central campaign issue. He said the objective was not to impose a dress code and referred to the possibility of holding a referendum on the question.
On European issues, Bardella leads the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament and is generally viewed as more market-oriented than Le Pen. These distinctions could become more visible as the National Rally develops its platform for the 2027 vote.
Ukraine policy exposes wider disagreements
Foreign policy has become another source of debate. Louis Aliot, the National Rally’s vice-president and mayor of Perpignan, questioned continued military support for Ukraine during a BFM-TV appearance on 4 September.
Aliot argued that France’s public services and economy were under pressure and questioned whether additional weapons could continue to be funded. He also called for the war to be brought to an end.
The comments drew criticism from Édouard Philippe, the Horizons candidate for the 2027 presidential election. Philippe accused the National Rally of supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime and argued that reducing assistance to Ukraine would serve Russia’s interests.
Le Pen responded by pointing to previous contacts between Philippe and senior Russian officials while he was prime minister, including meetings involving Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. The exchange highlights how Ukraine policy is likely to remain a major issue in France’s presidential contest and in wider European security debates.
National Rally faces fallout from police video
The party is also dealing with the consequences of a video published by Midi Libre on 8 September. The footage, recorded in November 2025, showed municipal police officers in Carcassonne making racist, sexist and conspiracy-related remarks during a night patrol.
The officer identified as responsible for most of the comments had previously served as a paratrooper and volunteered for the National Rally’s internal security service. He had accompanied Bardella on several occasions, including during a book tour and the launch of the party’s municipal election campaign.
The National Rally expelled the officer on Wednesday, while Bardella described the remarks as despicable. The Carcassonne public prosecutor’s office also announced the suspension of the four municipal officers shown in the video.
The incident has created an additional challenge for Le Pen as she attempts to present the party as ready for national government. It also gives political opponents an opportunity to question the party’s vetting procedures and internal culture.
What happens next in French politics?
Le Pen’s speech in Hénin-Beaumont is an early effort to regain control of the campaign narrative. The National Rally remains politically competitive, but its leadership must manage disagreements without allowing them to overshadow its presidential message.
The next phase is likely to focus on several unresolved questions:
- How responsibility will be divided between Le Pen and Bardella.
- Whether Marion Maréchal will take a larger role in the campaign.
- How the party will define its position on pensions and economic policy.
- Whether support for Ukraine will become a formal dividing line.
- How the party responds to scrutiny over candidates, staff and security volunteers.
For Europe, the French election matters because France is one of the European Union’s largest member states and a central actor in debates on defence, migration, economic policy and relations with Russia. At this stage, however, the polling figures and campaign positions remain provisional. The 2027 election campaign has begun to take shape, but no outcome has been decided.
Conclusion
Marine Le Pen’s return to Hénin-Beaumont is designed to demonstrate control as the National Rally prepares for the 2027 presidential election. Her strong polling position contrasts with internal disputes involving Bardella, disagreements over Ukraine and continuing scrutiny of the party’s personnel. The key test now is whether Le Pen can turn early electoral support into a disciplined national campaign while maintaining unity on issues that could affect France and the wider European political landscape.
