A rising figure on the far right in France endured his second attack by food in a week on Saturday. Authorities say a 74-year-old man approached Jordan Bardella of the National Rally party at a book signing in Moissac and cracked an egg over his head, reports the AFP. The protester was taken into custody on suspicion of violence against a public official. The assault came days after Bardella got doused with flour during a visit to an agricultural fair in Vesoul. In that case, police detained a 17-year-old boy.
"The more we make progress, the closer we get to power, the more the violence from the far left, intolerance and pure stupidity are unleashed," Bardella later tweeted, adding that he was unharmed. "But a wind of freedom, national pride and patriotism is blowing across France, and they won't be able to stop it." The 30-year-old, who espouses hardline views on immigration, is seen as a strong contender in the nation's 2027 presidential vote. In fact, a new poll shows him as the current frontrunner, reports Reuters.
The poll has Bardella leading all other candidates with about 35% of the vote in a projected first round, then winning office after a second round. The only hitch for Bardella would be if Marine Le Pen, his party's leader, is able to reverse a court decision barring her from running because of a corruption conviction.