, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), has issued a stark warning to President Emmanuel Macron, asserting that he will be unable to send troops to Ukraine if her party forms the next government.
This declaration comes ahead of France’s snap parliamentary elections, with the first of two rounds set to take place this Sunday.
Le Pen stated that while the president holds the honorary title of armed forces chief, the real control over military deployment lies with the prime minister, who manages the nation’s budget.
In an interview with Le Télégramme, Le Pen stated, “Jordan has no intention of picking a quarrel with him but he has put down red lines – the president won’t be able to send troops,” referring to RN’s parliamentary leader Jordan Bardella.
President Macron, traditionally playing a key role in France’s international and defense policies as commander in chief, has been one of Europe’s staunchest supporters of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Macron has not ruled out the possibility of sending troops if Russia escalates its aggression, noting that “Russia cannot win in Ukraine.” His stance has garnered support from several other countries.
However, Le Pen believes that should Bardella become France’s next prime minister, the president’s powers would be significantly curtailed.
She indicated that if RN secures an absolute majority in parliament, Macron would have little choice but to appoint the 28-year-old Bardella as prime minister. This scenario would lead to a cohabitation, where the president and government are from different parties, a situation not seen in France since 2002.
Current opinion polls suggest National Rally could capture around 36% of the vote, though this may fall short of the 289 seats needed for an outright majority in the National Assembly. Bardella has made it clear that he will not serve as prime minister in a hung parliament.
The poll of nearly 12,000 voters also indicates that the left-wing New Popular Front is in second place, with Macron’s Ensemble alliance trailing in third.
Macron ally François Bayrou criticised Le Pen for allegedly undermining the president’s constitutional powers, which include appointing civil and military positions and presiding over the armed forces and defense council.
Le Pen countered on social media, stating that her comments did not challenge the president’s authority to deploy troops but highlighted the prime minister’s budgetary control as a potential means of opposition.
Despite the political tension, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed confidence that France will continue to support Kyiv, regardless of the election outcome. Bardella has assured that while RN would support Ukraine, they would refrain from sending long-range missiles or French troops.
RN, historically linked to Russia, altered its stance following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Macron has faced criticism for calling the snap elections abruptly, shortly after Bardella’s party triumphed in the European elections.
The president’s decision has sparked dissent among his allies, leaving Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to lead a challenging campaign amid low poll ratings for the Ensemble alliance.
Chioma Kalu
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