Marine Le Pen has asked Jordan Bardella, her top lieutenant, to prepare to replace her as presidential candidate for the hard-right National Rally if the appeal court upholds a bar on her entering the 2027 election.
The 56-year-old populist, who is far ahead in the polling in her planned fourth run for the French presidency, was acknowledging for the first time that her conviction in March for embezzling EU funds could block her path to the Élysée Palace.
