Thierry Mariani

A Russophile, Mariani is well-placed to secure a prominent spot in any Le Pen presidency should she manage to beat incumbent Emmanuel Macron, a victory that would have far-reaching consequences for the geopolitical balance of power in Europe and, potentially, for the fate of Bosnia.

The party of France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen performed weaker than expected in the first round of regional elections on June 20, in a vote marked by record levels of abstention.

Early projections showed the center-right Republicans party on course to top June 20's vote, while Le Pen's National Rally undershot predictions based on voter surveys conducted last week.

This was shown by the exit polls after the elections, marked by a record low turnout, published on Sunday night.

In his report to the European Parliament on the Western Balkans, the Commissioner for Accession Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said that the prospect of EU accession was the biggest impetus for reforms and processes in the region, and when it came to Serbia, he said that the idea of an agreement with Kosovo would only make sense if there is a prospect of joining the EU.