Marine Le Pen opens French presidential bid with pledges on order and borders

French political figure Marine Le Pen has formally kicked off her campaign for the presidency, telling supporters in Orleans that she will restore public safety, curb immigration, and revive national pride amid widespread civil unrest across the country.

The rally took place at the Co'Met arena in Orleans, a central French city known for its association with Joan of Arc. Addressing an enthusiastic audience, the National Rally leader presented herself as the sole candidate capable of guiding the country through deep economic difficulties, public discontent, and security challenges. Her remarks followed a weekend of nationwide demonstrations over living expenses and inequality that turned violent, resulting in property destruction and looting.

Le Pen framed her platform around law enforcement and sovereignty, vowing a zero-tolerance stance on crime and asserting that ensuring public security remains the primary obligation of government. She promised to reinstate checks along the country's borders, implement immediate deportations for non-citizens convicted of crimes, and target narcotics rings and street gangs.

Public opinion data released over the weekend showed Le Pen leading the presidential field, securing between 32% and 33.5% of projected voter support. Her closest competitor, hard-left figure Jean-Luc Melenchon, registered at 17%. Recent polling indicates that mainstream political factions continue to lose ground to polarized alternatives, with projections suggesting Le Pen would comfortably secure victory in a prospective runoff against Melenchon, scheduled for early May.

On financial matters, Le Pen outlined a program centered on fiscal discipline, reductions in business taxation, cuts to regulatory hurdles, and targeted investment in domestic manufacturing and artificial intelligence. She also stated she would oppose any further moves to raise the state pension age. Regarding the European Union, she did not call for an outright departure from the bloc, but argued for limiting the authority of Brussels, asserting domestic legal supremacy, and maintaining independence from foreign military conflicts.

The Orleans gathering was organized to emphasize internal solidarity within the National Rally. Party president Jordan Bardella, who was confirmed in his post and introduced as Le Pen's intended prime minister, faced disruption during his remarks when demonstrators from a Jewish student group protested allegations regarding past antisemitic comments, which Bardella has rejected.

Le Pen's bid proceeds against the backdrop of an ongoing legal dispute. She is currently appealing a court conviction connected to the misappropriation of European Parliament funding, an issue that could potentially require her to participate in campaign activities while fitted with an electronic monitoring device.