Marine Le Pen Faces Legal Challenges but Maintains Rising Influence in Tumultuous 2025

In 2025, Marine Le Pen has experienced significant political turbulence but her influence within French politics continues to grow. Most notably, on March 31, Le Pen was provisionally declared ineligible to run for office, a major blow to her presidential ambitions. The Rassemblement National (RN) party responded with fierce accusations against the judiciary, alleging bias and drawing parallels to the legal challenges faced by former President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Despite these setbacks, recent polls indicate a rise in Marine Le Pen's popularity alongside Jordan Bardella, her party's leader. According to a Toluna Harris Interactive poll for LCI, Le Pen's trust rating increased by one point amid growing public dissatisfaction with the current government, contrasting with declining approval ratings for President Emmanuel Macron and other political figures. Macron's popularity fell to a historic low of 25%, while Bardella's rating rose by three points, reflecting an opportunity for the RN amid government instability.

Le Pen remains resolute, preparing for a trial scheduled to begin in mid-January 2026. An interview with her reveals a fatalistic determination, underscored by an Aesop quote about unalterable destiny. Her leadership has propelled RN to unprecedented prominence within French politics despite the legal obstacles.

2025 also proved politically volatile with key events such as the calm passage of the end-of-life law through the Assembly and the ousting of Prime Minister François Bayrou following a failed confidence vote and controversial budget proposals. In this charged atmosphere, Marine Le Pen's RN continues to consolidate power, with Bardella stating confidently that he could succeed her if needed, highlighting the party's growing strength and strategic depth.

As 2026 approaches, Marine Le Pen’s political future remains uncertain due to her legal challenges, but her party’s rising public support marks a significant development in France’s political landscape.