The French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) has been building diplomatic ties with foreign ambassadors ahead of the 2027 presidential election. On July 7, 2026, Marine Le Pen announced her candidacy after an appeals court upheld her embezzlement conviction and ordered her to wear an electronic ankle monitor. Party leader Jordan Bardella will not run. Polls show the RN candidate likely winning the first round with 32–38% of the vote, though a runoff against center-right candidate Edouard Philippe remains uncertain. The RN continues to distance itself from the German far-right AfD, excluding them from its European Parliament group, while Bardella has praised German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on climate and migration policy and met with the German ambassador. Analysts expect bilateral and EU-level conflicts if the RN wins, but note that Italy's Giorgia Meloni became a reliable partner after her election.

Background: Italy deployed SAMP/T in Turkey as part of NATO's permanent defense plan, and Turkey tested its domestic Siper system under the Steel Dome project. Turkey had previously expressed interest in SAMP/T in 2018 under the LORAMID program, but the contract lapsed due to bilateral tensions. Following improved Franco-Turkish relations and Turkey's urgent need for a multi-layered air defense under its 'Steel Dome' program—especially after intercepting presumed Iranian missiles in March—France has signaled openness to selling the SAMP/T NG air defense system to Turkey. The issue was raised at the NATO summit and a Franco-Italian summit in Antibes on June 25. President Macron confirmed ongoing technical work with Italy and Turkey on the matter, with coproduction discussions involving Italy, marking a potential breakthrough in Franco-Turkish defense ties.