Marine Le Pen’s young protégé Jordan Bardella has been likened to “Brutus” for hinting that he could run for the French presidency if she is banned from elected office.

Ms Le Pen has been forced on Wednesday to defend the 29-year-old chairman of her hard-Right National Rally (RN) party, insisting the pair enjoy a “trusting relationship”.

Mr Bardella on Monday declared that no candidate for high office should have a criminal conviction.

Ms Le Pen, the presumptive candidate for the Elysée Palace in 2027, is on trial along with two dozen members of National Rally accused of embezzling European parliament funds in a fake jobs scheme.

She has complained that judges are denying her a fair trial as part of a bid by the “deep state” to torpedo her presidential ambitions.

With Emmanuel Macron out of the running after two successive terms, polls suggest she could clinch the presidency in her fourth attempt.