JPMorgan has indicated it is willing to meet with France’s far-right National Rally (RN) as corporate France recalibrates its approach to a party gaining electoral traction, a senior regional executive said on Tuesday.
Matthieu Wiltz, co-CEO of JPMorgan’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region, told reporters at a conference that the bank aims to maintain a dialogue with all political parties. Asked specifically about the RN, Wiltz said: "We try to have dialogue with all of (the political parties). I’m happy to talk to anyone." He added that he wants to outline why strong banks and strong European corporates are important and how they would benefit France and the European Union over the long term.
For years, many established blue-chip firms largely avoided formal engagement with the RN. That posture has been shifting as opinion polls suggest the party is a credible contender for power in the 2027 presidential contest. Corporate leaders are now attempting to better understand the party’s economic agenda and, where possible, to influence it.
Recent interactions between the RN and parts of France’s corporate establishment illustrate this change. National Rally president Jordan Bardella met the country’s leading employer federation last month. Earlier in April, Marine Le Pen, the long-time RN leader and a three-time presidential candidate, attended a dinner in Paris with several high-profile executives. Sources have said those executives included the chiefs of oil major TotalEnergies and luxury group LVMH.
Despite that outreach, much of France’s corporate leadership remains cautious. Executives have not fully embraced the RN and continue to watch its shifting economic positions closely.
Wiltz’s comments also touched on JPMorgan’s strategic positioning after Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. "Brexit happened. We live in a world now where we have to be balanced between the UK and what we have here in France and the EU," he said. On the bank’s footprint in France he added: "As it stands today, honestly, there is nothing that would push us to move outside of France. France is still very appealing."
JPMorgan currently employs more than 1,000 people in Paris and has grown its presence in recent years. The bank has plans for a new office to support its expanding operations in the French capital.
Context on the political outlook and corporate response
Polling cited by market observers positions the National Rally as a strong contender for power in the next presidential election. Uncertainty remains, however, about whether Marine Le Pen will be able to stand as a candidate: she was convicted of embezzlement in 2025 and was barred from running for five years, a ban that is subject to an appeal ruling expected in July. The article does not report on the outcome of that appeal.
Against this backdrop, major companies are weighing engagement strategies while balancing reputational and governance concerns. For JPMorgan, which operates on both sides of the English Channel, the issue intersects with decisions about regulatory environments, workforce distribution and long-term expansion plans in France and the EU.