Marine Le Pen promises not to "make France the way it was before" at her first campaign rally

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen pledged on Sunday to form a pluralist government of national unity led by her party’s current leader, Jordan Bardella, should she win the election in May. Speaking at her first campaign rally in Orléans, the head of the Rassemblement National (RN) declared that she did not intend to recreate past versions of France but rather to build the country of tomorrow. She framed her central programmatic theme as a Renaissance for France, drawing a historical parallel with the sixteenth century to argue for gradual elevation toward security, prosperity, and creativity rather than destructive revolution or abrupt rupture. The rally took place during the RN congress in the Loiret department. Organizers stated that approximately 8,500 spectators attended the event. Le Pen, who leads polls for both the first and second rounds of the presidential race, emphasized that the proposed state would not be partisan but a collective patriotic work. She insisted on recognizing only one community, the national community, while explicitly rejecting communalism. This stance aligns with her broader platform, which includes promises regarding immigration and social order. During her address, Le Pen confirmed that Bardella would serve as the chief of the governmental orchestra if she enters the Élysée Palace. She justified this open government structure by citing the fractured nature of the country and the desire for unity among French citizens. Every citizen, she argued, with their diverse backgrounds, talents, and sensitivities, is called to participate in the proposed movement of French renewal. The candidate described the path forward as a progressive ascent of the entire nation toward beauty, truth, justice, safety, wealth, and creative output. Le Pen invoked the memory of Joan of Arc to close the segment of her speech dedicated to resilience. Noting her recent conviction on appeal for misappropriation of European public funds, she asserted that no defeat is final as long as a people refuses to resign itself to it. She promised to liberate minds from the disabling idea that victory is impossible. For those willing to act, she claimed there is no fatality or impossibility, but rather a great federating project and a human and political adventure to share. Our only compass, she stated, is France, its recovery, and the happiness of its people. The candidate identified several targets for opposition, which she labeled new obscurantisms. These included Islamism, the far left, and what she termed technophobic obscurantisms. She defined these latter groups as expressing distrust of progress through punitive ecology or political nihilism. Le Pen positioned herself as a protector against incivility, praising French know-how-to-live and criticizing the savagery of those who do not live like French people. She vowed to return to what made the country the Sweet France, promising automatic and definitive expulsion for foreign offenders and the prohibition of communalism. On constitutional matters, Le Pen outlined plans to inscribe the national community into the Constitution. She advocated for the use of referendums and proportional representation with a majority bonus to reconcile citizens with politics. She stated that power was sought not for the benefit of the party but to return it to the people. In terms of defense policy, she promised not to send young people to die in wars that were not theirs, aiming to make France a nation of peace. While addressing economic issues, Le Pen did not commit to returning the retirement age to sixty years, a position she had previously supported. Instead, she focused on the broader narrative of renewal. The atmosphere at the rally was largely supportive, though incidents occurred in the stands. During a speech by Jordan Bardella, scuffles broke out. Members of the RN security service removed several individuals from the venue. According to the Union of Jewish Students of France, the action aimed to highlight the antisemitism and racism of the party by displaying a banner. The organization stated that its members were assaulted and violently ejected by the security services and RN activists. Separately, authorities addressed tensions related to ultraright groups in other cities. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez noted that militants seeking to confront the far left or protect shops independently were observed in at least two cities, Nice and Montpellier. A lawmaker from the French Communist Party identified fourteen cities where such groups had acted. In Nice, police detained suspected ultraright militants following attacks on demonstrators. An investigation for aggravated violence was opened by the prosecutor's office. Eleven of fifty-nine detainees could belong to this movement. Masks, gloves, gas canisters, and batons were found in vehicles prior to the violent acts. The prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes reported that around one hundred masked ultraright militants converged on the city center to physically confront protesters. Security forces maneuvered throughout the afternoon to prevent the two groups from meeting. Videos of the interventions were shared on social media, showing individuals attacking demonstrators. Le Pen’s rhetoric combined nationalist sentiment with a call for modernization under the guise of historical continuity. By framing her agenda as a method rather than a break, she sought to distance her platform from radical disruption. The emphasis on Bardella’s role signaled a clear succession plan within the party hierarchy. The rejection of communalism and the focus on national identity remain core elements of her discourse. The incident involving the student union highlighted ongoing friction between the party and certain civil society groups. Meanwhile, the violence in Nice underscored the broader societal tensions involving extreme factions on both sides of the political spectrum. The police response in Nice resulted in multiple arrests and a formal judicial inquiry. The presence of weapons and protective gear in seized vehicles indicated premeditation in some cases. The interior ministry’s acknowledgment of similar dynamics in Montpellier suggests a pattern beyond isolated incidents. These developments occur against the backdrop of a heated electoral campaign where candidates are defining their visions for the future governance and social fabric of France.