A convinced monarchist, Geneviève Salvisberg has nothing against dynasties. But the longtime member of the Rassemblement National (RN, far right), who was a member of Action Française (a far-right royalist movement) in her youth, is prepared to make an exception with the Le Pen family that has ruled the party for half a century. "Marine Le Pen is always much appreciated, but Jordan Bardella is simply extraordinary – he's so handsome and brilliant," said the stand-in for one of the party's MPs. "He's smart enough to wait his turn. But why not run as early as 2027?"

Should Bardella, 28, run for the party formerly known as Front National in the next presidential election, instead of Marine Le Pen? Many party members are considering this, three years ahead of vote. In January, Le Monde went to meet RN members across the country, at MPs' New Year addresses. When asked about a possible victory in 2027, a majority of these members felt that the young man would offer a better chance than the three-time candidate. In a dynastic party, and considering that Le Pen has said she plans to run for president again in three years, the portion of the base supporting Bardella is significant.

Party members continue to praise Le Pen for her resilience and the work she has done to normalize the party. Her proposed "ticket," presenting Bardella as a putative prime minister, has been an effective marketing strategy. But the party activists are not immune to the momentum which, for several months now, has carried their young president's popularity well beyond the ranks of the far-right movement. They describe him as "handsome," "really good on TV," "good looking and very articulate," and having a "sense of repartee."

The skills listed by Bardella's supporters almost exclusively have to do with his TV appearances and his "polished" image. His "comforting" profile, they think, could rally voters who are still reluctant to vote for a radical party. "For those hesitating, it's good... We'll be in power one day, but that'll never happen with a Le Pen," said Gérard Aubenas, a retiree from the Cavaillon area, southern France, who has been a Le Pen supporter since 1981.

Bardella is even popular around the former coal mines of northern France, in Le Pen's stronghold. "When she was party president, her discourse convinced me. But it wasn't until Bardella came along that I really got on board," said Tatiana Focqueur, 27, who swapped her Les Républicains (LR, right-wing) membership for the RN. "Bardella is doing his job to part with the racism label," her husband Sébastien, 47, said happily. He runs Black Shadow North, a motorcycle club associated with Gremium MC, run by Serge Ayoub, the former leader of the Parisian neo-Nazi skinhead group.

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