Farage and Le Pen use Trump's strategy: turning scandal into electoral advantage

European right-wing populist leaders Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage are adopting a strategy mirroring Donald Trump's approach, transforming legal and political scandals into electoral assets. This tactic involves portraying themselves as victims of an "establishment" conspiracy to rally their supporters.

Marine Le Pen, the de facto leader of France's National Rally party, recently faced a conviction in an appeal hearing for embezzling European Union funds. She was sentenced to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet for one year. Simultaneously, Nigel Farage, the architect of Brexit and leader of Reform UK, resigned as a member of Parliament. His departure followed intense media and political pressure regarding his financial arrangements and a friendship with a convicted criminal.

Instead of retreating, both politicians have quickly pivoted, framing these setbacks as campaign opportunities. Le Pen launched her bid for next year's French presidential election shortly after her verdict. Farage challenged his critics to a by-election in his constituency, leaving the ultimate decision to voters. This strategy aligns with Trump's 2024 campaign tactics: denying all accusations, labeling legal proceedings as elite plots against ordinary citizens, and galvanizing the base with a "victim of the system" narrative. Trump's approach saw his poll numbers improve after criminal trials, making him the first U.S. president elected while facing conviction.

The political stakes in France and Britain are significant. France will elect a new president in ten months, with Le Pen leading in several national polls. In the UK, Farage's Reform UK is currently leading opinion polls, and his move could establish the party as a major parliamentary force, potentially positioning him for a prime ministerial role.

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Farage and Le Pen are two sides of the same coin. It is the same ideology and, clearly, the same political program. There are enormous similarities in how they do politics, in denouncing a system from which they have both benefited for a long time and in undermining democratic institutions.