In a bold display of nationalist solidarity, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen convened a high-profile summit of Europe’s most influential far-right figures on Monday, as momentum continues to swell ahead of France’s crucial 2027 presidential election.
Set against the tranquil backdrop of Mormant-sur-Vernisson, a rural commune in France’s Loiret region, the gathering brought together the heads of Europe’s rising nationalist wave—including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Italy’s Matteo Salvini, Spain’s Santiago Abascal, and former Czech leader Andrej Babiš.
Though officially framed as a celebration of Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) party’s record gains in the 2024 European elections, the meeting served a more pointed purpose: showcasing the growing ideological and strategic cohesion among Europe’s far-right powerbrokers under the banner of the Patriots for Europe parliamentary alliance.
“The winds of change are gathering,” Orbán declared on X (formerly Twitter) late Sunday, following a private strategy session at the historic Château de Fontainebleau, hinting at a reshaped European order.
The summit comes at a pivotal inflection point in French politics. With President Emmanuel Macron constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, and traditional parties struggling to reassert dominance, Le Pen’s RN sees a clear path to the Élysée Palace in 2027.
Yet the path forward is clouded by uncertainty. Le Pen who has made three unsuccessful presidential bids—was convicted earlier this year in a “fake jobs” scandal, a ruling that currently disqualifies her from holding public office. Though she is appealing, her legal status raises the likelihood that the party’s leadership baton may pass to her protégé, Jordan Bardella.
At just 29, Bardella has quickly emerged as the RN’s public face and possibly its presidential future. Recent polls suggest he could lead the first round of voting were he to run.
Over the weekend, he appeared in a carefully curated prime-time interview with TV host Karine Le Marchand, designed to humanize his public image and expand his appeal beyond the party base.
He hailed the summit as a moment of ideological alignment:
“This is about a Europe of nations, of freedoms, of identity, of entrepreneurship and protection,” Bardella said, casting the alliance as a populist alternative to Brussels-centric bureaucracy.
While the summit highlighted a shared vision on core issues immigration control, national sovereignty, opposition to EU federalism, and skepticism of military spending it also underscored ongoing fragmentation within Europe’s far-right.
The Patriots for Europe bloc compete with at least two other nationalist groupings in the European Parliament, revealing both the movement’s breadth and its divisions.
Italy’s Salvini echoed Bardella’s populist rhetoric, writing:
“We’re building a new Europe—for the people, not the bureaucrats. A Europe that supports peace over weapons, business over red tape.”
Orbán, in his signature populist flair, even revived his infamous champagne pledge from 2016. When asked if he hoped Le Pen would win the French presidency, he quipped on LCI TV:
“Oh yes. I think it would take a magnum—maybe more!”
With no official RN presidential candidate declared and only former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe so far confirming his intent to run, France’s 2027 race remains wide open. But Monday’s summit sent a clear message: the far-right is not only preparing to contest the next election it’s positioning itself to dominate it.
As nationalist leaders from Paris to Budapest align more closely than ever, the 2027 French presidential election could mark not just a political turning point for France, but a defining moment for Europe’s far-right resurgence.
