Jordan Bardella’s book Gouverner and political ambitions face controversy

The Publishing Strategy Behind a Political Rise

The literary trajectory began on November 8, 2024, at the National Rally headquarters in Paris, where journalists collected copies of his autobiography, Ce que je cherche (huffingtonpost.fr). Published by Fayard—owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré—the book served as an initial vehicle to establish Jordan Bardella as a viable alternative candidate should Marine Le Pen face legal disqualification.

That contingency materialized in March 2025, when a court handed Marine Le Pen a provisional ban on holding public office. Capitalizing on the moment, Fayard hosted a launch event for his second book, Ce que veulent les Français, on October 28, 2025, at the Théâtre Marigny near the Elysée Palace. By late 2026, sales across the first two titles surpassed 330,000 copies, generating more than one million euros in royalties (BFMTV).

Appeals Court Ruling Preserves Presidential Eligibility

The political situation shifted in July 2026 when an appeals court ruling avoided provisional execution, allowing Marine Le Pen to mount a Supreme Court appeal and retain her eligibility for the 2027 presidential race (huffingtonpost.fr). This judicial decision complicated Jordan Bardella’s path, triggering internal tensions. Media reports subsequently highlighted friction between the two figures, underscored by Marine Le Pen preemptively announcing the title of the third book, Gouverner, to party officials.

Additional media coverage detailed a luxurious writing retreat in the Maldives and reported personal friction regarding the 2027 presidential ambitions (huffingtonpost.fr). Dans son nouveau livre, Jordan Bardella écrit qu’il serait bien trop facile de prétendre qu’il a pris cette séquence à la légère.

Investigative Outlet Publishes Old Social Media Messages

On September 28, 2026, investigative outlet Mediapart published social media messages from 2013 attributed to Jordan Bardella from his early years as a party militant, containing antisemitic statements (BFMTV).

In the final pages of Gouverner, under a postface titled “The Price of Commitment,” Jordan Bardella addresses the accusations, arguing that critics attempted to bring him down and citing historical political reactions to weather the controversy (franceinfo).

Contents of the Third Volume

Clocking in at 288 pages, Gouverner blends personal reflections with policy proposals spanning immigration, security, European integration, and foreign policy (franceinfo). The text features sharp critiques of the current political class, describing former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe as an honorary macronist and current Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu as a night watchman checking windows before closing (BFMTV).

A dedicated chapter targets Jean-Luc Melenchon, accusing him and his supporters of promoting the replacement of the historical French population through mass immigration (Orange Actualités). The volume concludes with an appeal to voters to bring the extreme right to power (Le Monde).