French centre-right re-adjusts its strategy in the face of Le Pen's advance to 2027

French centrist parties are recalibrating their strategy in response to the unexpected resurgence of far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. The former prime minister Édouard Philippe, one of Le Pen’s main rivals, has adjusted his campaign tactics after launching his bid in May with a message of a “tremendously optimistic” conservative agenda. Now, he and his team are targeting Le Pen by branding her as a “fiscally irresponsible leftist.” In a recent Politico interview, Nathalie Loiseau, an MEP campaigning for Philippe, stated that Le Pen’s program is largely left-leaning. This assessment aligns with the broader narrative within Macron’s government, which has long framed the far right as a threat from both ends of the political spectrum. For years, the ruling party promoted the theory of two extremist demons, the National Rally and La France Insoumise, but now it seeks to position Le Pen as a left-wing force. Despite her well-known stance against immigration, traditional conservative values, and LGBTQ+ communities, and despite accusations of Nazi sympathies toward her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, she is being cast as a leftist by centrist and mainstream conservatives. Le Pen, who recently appeared before the Paris Court of Appeal, continues to face criticism from academic circles and traditional right-wing factions. Some scholars describe her as a “right-wing populist,” yet critics argue that her party, the National Rally, has shown economic inconsistency over time. During a recent rally in Paris, Philippe himself accused these critics of hypocrisy. However, with Le Pen now officially running for president, rather than her protégé Jordan Bardella, who is 30 years old and considered more palatable to conservative voters, Philippe and his allies believe their attacks will have greater resonance. One of the most puzzling aspects of this political shift is the contrast between Philippe’s policies and Le Pen’s. While Philippe advocates raising the retirement age, Le Pen proposes abolishing the pension reforms and lowering the retirement age. Philippe’s team views this as economically reckless, and they aim to appeal to traditional right-wing voters by emphasizing stability and fiscal responsibility. They remain confident in their ability to dismantle Le Pen’s proposals, even though they acknowledge her experience and potential as a formidable opponent. Frédéric Valletoux, a parliamentarian from Philippe’s party, noted that while Le Pen may be a tougher adversary, her policy platform lacks coherence in several areas. For months, Le Pen and Bardella have presented themselves as an inseparable duo, with Le Pen as president and Bardella as prime minister. In a recent interview, Le Pen described this alliance as a “winning formula”, a solid team united by shared convictions and accustomed to working together. Her campaign in western France, held earlier this week, highlighted the importance of keeping Bardella close. His youthful charisma, communication skills, and connections with business elites are seen as key assets in expanding the National Rally’s reach and offsetting Le Pen’s personal shortcomings. Despite past failures in reaching the Elysée, Le Pen has struggled to clearly differentiate her platform from previous campaigns and attract voters outside her core base. With Bardella remaining a central figure in her strategy, the National Rally hopes to leverage his popularity to broaden its appeal. As the race intensifies, the battle between centrist and far-right forces promises to shape the future of French politics in the coming years.