In a position of strength since its victory in the European elections on June 9, the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) is leading the campaign for the French parliamentary elections by avoiding just about every subject. Its president, Jordan Bardella, said he is ready to become Emmanuel Macron's prime minister should his party emerge victorious from the June 30 and July 7 elections, but not in any configuration. He needs an absolute majority or nothing. In the event of a relative majority, he won't take the position. This is the first time that the 28-year-old leader, who until now has been unfailingly self-confident, has seemed nervous by the reality of power.
With just 10 days to go before the first round of voting, his party's proposal on how to govern is still nowhere to be found, as he and Marine Le Pen contort themselves in an attempt to break out of their European isolation without compromising too much. They are now proclaiming that they no longer want to "leave the integrated command" of NATO... at least as long as the war in Ukraine is underway. They have agreed to support Kyiv militarily but have set a "red line" regarding the delivery of long-range missiles and other weapons that could strike Russian territory.
What is most striking is the way in which they are putting off some of their economic promises. The abolition of VAT on essential goods, which served as the party's rallying cry during the inflationary crisis, is no longer considered a priority. Income tax exemption for young people under 30, which was the main novelty of Le Pen's 2022 presidential project, has evaporated. The repeal of Macron's unpopular pension reform disappears one day and reappears the next, without any clear details. Rarely have political leaders tread so much water in so little time. The RN, which performs well in its rhetorical role, is like a deer caught in the headlights when it comes to exercising power. It is not ready to govern.
National preference and rejection of others
These renunciations are aimed at gaining credibility in a difficult budgetary situation. In reality, they shed light on the nature of the party. The most watered-down measures concern purchasing power, which Le Pen had made a point of boosting to win the loyalty of working-class voters. At this stage, the most notable proposed measure is the reduction in the VAT rate on energy and fuel from 20% to 5%. Although this measure requires negotiation with Brussels, is costly and fails to effectively assist those who need it the most.
The RN is taking a strong stance on security and immigration, combining the two issues it has always associated. This includes reintroducing minimum sentences for drug offenses and offenses against public officials, suspending family allowances for parents of repeat juvenile offenders and proposing an "emergency law" on immigration. This law aims to reform the only health insurance available to undocumented people and eliminate the right to citizenship for anyone born in France.
There's no more room for misinterpretation here. The RN is revealing itself for what it is: a party whose platform is national preference and the rejection of others. The prospect of a power struggle with the Constitutional Council is clearly open, as is the risk of clashes in society. It's the opposite of the quiet transition that the RN's leaders now claim to want to prepare. It is a complete deception.