Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has stunned observers by downplaying Marine Le Pen's National Rally party as not a significant threat to France. In his new book, penned while serving a 20-day prison sentence for criminal conspiracy, Sarkozy proposed that many of his former supporters could potentially vote for Le Pen, effectively broadening the French right.
Sarkozy advocated for unity among the far-right parties in order to create an inclusive and expansive right-wing force. He emphasized the importance of gathering together without exclusions or animosity, signaling a potential shift in his stance against Marine Le Pen's party.
This statement contrasts starkly with Sarkozy's previous opposition to Le Pen when he was president from 2007. In 2022, he even urged voters to back Emmanuel Macron over Le Pen at the presidential election in an effort to safeguard France.
Le Pen's National Rally is now seeking to attract traditional right-wing supporters and broaden its voter base ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Sarkozy expressed solidarity with Marine Le Pen after her conviction for embezzlement, stating that he appreciated her "courageous and unambiguous" support during his time in prison. He also acknowledged their shared experiences within the current judicial framework, though criticized Le Pen's exclusion from the upcoming presidential race.
Le Pen is set to face an appeal trial next month, which will decide whether she can compete for the presidency or if Jordan Bardella will assume leadership of the party.
Sarkozy advocated for unity among the far-right parties in order to create an inclusive and expansive right-wing force. He emphasized the importance of gathering together without exclusions or animosity, signaling a potential shift in his stance against Marine Le Pen's party.
This statement contrasts starkly with Sarkozy's previous opposition to Le Pen when he was president from 2007. In 2022, he even urged voters to back Emmanuel Macron over Le Pen at the presidential election in an effort to safeguard France.
Le Pen's National Rally is now seeking to attract traditional right-wing supporters and broaden its voter base ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Sarkozy expressed solidarity with Marine Le Pen after her conviction for embezzlement, stating that he appreciated her "courageous and unambiguous" support during his time in prison. He also acknowledged their shared experiences within the current judicial framework, though criticized Le Pen's exclusion from the upcoming presidential race.
Le Pen is set to face an appeal trial next month, which will decide whether she can compete for the presidency or if Jordan Bardella will assume leadership of the party.
I'm shocked by Sarkozy's sudden change in tune. It seems like he's trying to save his own skin by playing devil's advocate and hinting that Le Pen's National Rally isn't a one-way threat to France's politics. The irony is that he used to demonize her, and now he's basically saying she can be a viable alternative. I wonder if Sarkozy is really trying to shift the narrative or just butter up his own ego while serving time. Either way, it's a clever move by Le Pen's party to attract more traditional right-wing voters, but will it pay off in 2027? 
but at the same time, it shows that sarkozy knows the game isn't over yet and he needs to adapt to stay relevant. 
interesting move, though - if he really wants to unite the right-wing parties, he'll have to do more than just say nice words... 
. I mean, who does this? His past stances were super anti-Le Pen but now it's like he wants to give her some love after all those years of beefing with her. Like, what changed his mind, did they have a heart-to-heart or something in prison cell 
?
I don't get why Sarkozy would do this after everything he said against Le Pen back in the day. It's like he's trying to erase all his past mistakes and make a comeback on his own terms. Newsflash, Nic: it won't work 
. The far-right is already super fragmented in France, so what's the point of unity if it's just gonna be another bunch of bitter rivals? I mean, Le Pen's party is basically begging for traditional right-wing voters to join them. Let's not forget that they were recently convicted of embezzlement... how cool is that? 
This whole thing reeks of opportunism and power struggles. Can't wait to see what happens next 
I'm not convinced this is just about unity and inclusivity... it reeks of politics as usual.
. But let's be real, this is just another move to consolidate power and gain an upper hand ahead of the 2027 presidential election 
. I'm not convinced that Sarkozy's attempt at unity will translate into actual support from his former supporters 
. And what about Le Pen's conviction for embezzlement? Is Sarkozy really being genuine with his solidarity or is it just a strategic ploy to make himself look like a unifying force in the far-right 
.
its like he's trying to be relevant again after being done by Macron. I think this is a smart move for Le Pen tho, if she can bring in some of Sarkozy's old supporters then that'd give her an edge in the 2027 election. And honestly, it's kinda sad how Sarkozy went from being against Le Pen to now supporting her 
his book is coming out while he's still on probation tho, like what even is a 20-day prison sentence? 
. its crazy how fast the politics change, right? anyway, sarkozy is literally trying to unite the far-right parties and make it more inclusive which is a bit confusing considering his past stance on le pen. and honestly i'm a bit curious what marines plan will be next after this appeal trial 
it makes sense though, because sarkozy knows how much of a threat le pen is to his own legacy 
but at the same time, I don't know...it feels like he's just trying to save face after all that drama with emmanuel macron 
in the past. Sarkozy is basically trying to unite the far-right parties under one umbrella and make France more right-wing 