Presidential election 2027: After refusals from French banks, the National Rally (RN) obtains a preliminary agreement of 10,6 million euros from two European institutions

The National Rally may have found a solution to finance its 2027 presidential campaign. On Tuesday, November 10, the party's treasurer, Kévin Pfeffer, announced that he had secured a preliminary agreement from two non-French European banks for a loan of €10,6 million. Discussions are now sufficiently advanced for the National Rally to anticipate finalizing the deal by the end of November, although no definitive contract has yet been signed. The two institutions in question are reportedly located in different European countries, whose names have not been disclosed. This announcement comes after several months of lobbying the banking sector, as Marine Le Pen's party regularly encounters difficulties in obtaining the necessary campaign financing.

“We are in very advanced discussions with two non-French but European banks,” Kévin Pfeffer confirmed to AFP. The Moselle MP said he was “quite optimistic” about the outcome of the negotiations and considers the preliminary agreement a recognition of the strength of the financial proposal presented by his party. He specified, however, that the institutions still need to obtain the necessary approvals from their governing bodies. In France, several banks have refused to finance the National Rally. Société Générale and La Banque Postale, in particular, have announced that they no longer finance political campaigns, regardless of the candidate or party involved. The National Rally has therefore once again turned to foreign institutions.

Precedents abroad and debts still to be repaid

Using European banks is not new for the nationalist party. During the 2022 presidential election, the National Rally (RN) had already taken out a loan of €10,6 million from a Hungarian bank. The party emphasizes that financing from institutions located in the European Union or the European Economic Area is possible within the framework provided by French law, subject to compliance with the obligations applicable to election campaigns. At the same time, the National Rally is continuing to reduce its debt. According to figures provided by its treasurer, its liabilities, which reached nearly €19 million at the end of 2024, have been reduced to approximately €7 million today. Kévin Pfeffer states that he intends to settle the remaining debts before the presidential election.

The amount mentioned represents a significant portion of the campaign expenses that a candidate who qualifies for the second round can expect to be reimbursed by the state, provided they comply with electoral financing rules. However, the loan agreement remains contingent on the decisions of the two banks. For the National Rally (RN), this potential agreement is of particular importance: the party had indicated that it had the necessary resources to finance a campaign until the end of 2026, without any guarantees beyond that point. The prospect of €10,6 million in funding allows it to begin the logistical preparations for the election, while leaving open the question of the final signing and the guarantees that will be required.