A Sovereignist Foreign Policy? The World as Seen by National Rally Lawmakers
The National Rally’s (Rassemblement national—RN) “de-demonization” strategy appears to be paying off: Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella’s party is steadily gaining ground in elections, and polls place it in the lead for the spring 2027 French presidential election. The period of normalization for this far-right movement has coincided with an era of upheaval on the international stage. Within this context, a fundamental question arises: what would the RN’s foreign policy look like if it came to power?
The National Rally’s (Rassemblement national—RN) “de-demonization” strategy appears to be paying off: Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella’s party is steadily gaining ground in elections, and polls place it in the lead for the spring 2027 French presidential election. The period of normalization for this far-right movement has coincided with an era of upheaval on the international stage. Within this context, a fundamental question arises: what would the RN’s foreign policy look like if it came to power?
To gain a clearer understanding, we used an original methodology: verbatim transcripts of debates from three National Assembly committees (“Foreign Affairs,” “European Affairs,” and “National Defense and Armed Forces”) were collected, spanning from the dissolution in 2024 through the summer of 2026. The author analyzed these thousands of pages using a specialized artificial intelligence tool.
The remarks by RN lawmakers reveal a focus on defending sovereignty, national interests, and the purchasing power of the French people. The party led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella presents itself as a kind of shield, seeking to protect the French people from external threats and actors contributing to France’s decline. Among its recurring targets are European institutions, German leaders, and the Algerian regime.
RN lawmakers regularly weigh in on major international issues. For example, while they express support for Ukraine, they voice significant reservations about the aid provided to Kyiv. Their condemnation of the 2022 Russian aggression does not prevent them from questioning the sanctions, particularly in the energy sector. Regarding the Middle East, they view the region through the lens of energy costs, the fight against Islamism, and immigration.
In short, the lawmakers are sketching out the contours of a sovereigntist foreign policy whose details remain vague. Their positions nevertheless allow us to anticipate some major changes and identify areas of friction—or even crisis—with France’s current allies or partners. A few specific proposals are put forward by RN’s members of parliament, such as abolishing the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) or reducing funding for the French Development Agency (AFD).
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A Sovereignist Foreign Policy? The World as Seen by National Rally Lawmakers
Marc HECKER
Executive Director of Ifri, Editor-in-Chief of Politique étrangère, and Research Fellow at the Security Studies Center, Ifri
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