“We will restore border control and protect France’s cultural identity.”

With France’s presidential election slated for April and May of next year, Marine Le Pen, a lawmaker of the far-right National Rally (RN) and current frontrunner in the polls, held her first large-scale campaign rally on the 25th in Orléans. Located about 130 km southwest of Paris, Orléans is famously known as the city associated with Joan of Arc (1412–1431). In 1429, during the Hundred Years' War between France and England, Joan of Arc broke the English siege of Orléans and liberated the city. Le Pen’s choice of Orléans for her rally was a deliberate move to borrow the "national savior" imagery of Joan of Arc.

At the event, Le Pen emphasized the rule of law and the defense of cultural identity, appealing to the anti-immigrant sentiment of her core conservative base. She also unveiled policy pledges including cuts to European Union (EU) contributions and aid to Ukraine, easing inheritance tax burdens, and exercising control over public spending.

● Rallying in Orléans, the "City of Joan of Arc"

Le Pen effectively launched her presidential bid before thousands of supporters in Orléans. She asserted that the recent protests—which broke out across France on the 17th of last month to demand improved educational conditions and solutions to soaring living costs—have deteriorated into looting, riots, and arson due to the incompetence of President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

“When rioters are looting and burning buildings, who can claim that ‘the rule of law’ exists?” Le Pen emphasized, vowing to “restore the rule of law” if she comes to power. Her remarks targeted not only the Macron administration, which failed to defend the capital, but also the far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI), which has been actively participating in the protests.

Le Pen also vowed to protect France's "cultural identity," encompassing language, religion, values, and lifestyles. Highlighting the National Rally's long-standing anti-immigration stance, she declared, “We will restore border control.” In particular, she stated, “We will make French citizenship a privilege obtainable only through inheritance or legitimate acquisition.”

On the 24th, ahead of the rally, the National Rally re-elected Jordan Bardella, one of Le Pen's closest confidants, as party leader. Bardella, who is widely tipped to become prime minister should Le Pen take office, took the podium to appeal for support, saying, “We need you to lead Le Pen to the Élysée Palace.”

Bardella promised a intensified crackdown on the far-left factions suspected of being behind the violent protests. “We will lower the age of criminal immunity for minors to 16 and deport juvenile delinquents and criminals,” he stated. The National Rally is strongly backing a "vandalism compensation law" that holds individuals liable for damages even if they did not directly participate in looting and property destruction, focusing on pinning the blame for the protests on immigrants and far-left forces.

● Putin: “European Protests Caused by Leaders' Incompetence”

Meanwhile, in an interview with the state-run broadcaster Vesti on the 25th, Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the ongoing protests in major European nations such as France, Spain, and Portugal, stating, “It shows that leaders lack the ability to take responsibility for the current situation and are incompetent.” He dismissed allegations from some quarters that Russia is behind the unrest.

Putin cited Europe's excessive public debt ratios and fiscal deficits as the root causes of the protests. He also pointed to Europe’s lenient immigration policies, noting, “There are too many people coming from other countries, making assimilation impossible, and each nation lacks the capability and resources to assimilate them.”

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