France’s political parties are interpreting the US midterm results through the lens of the 2027 presidential election. The defeat for Donald Trump’s party has encouraged the left and the centrist bloc, while the National Rally (RN) has sought to distance itself from the US president.
Asked on RTL on Wednesday, November 4, whether he was disappointed by the scale of the defeat suffered by a president whose 2024 victory he had praised, RN leader Jordan Bardella said he was not, adding that he was not American. He also said events in other countries did not concern him.
Bardella had begun distancing himself from the MAGA movement in February 2025, after cancelling a planned appearance at a pro-Trump forum in Washington. The decision followed a Nazi salute by Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Trump. Bardella had nevertheless continued to defend Trump’s record on issues including the economy and immigration.
Sources: Le Monde Politique.