Trademark law in the political sphere: The “Renaissance” Case

Paris Civil Court, Order of July 30, 2026, No. 26/55117: A must-read order for intellectual property litigation specialists: when the political sphere is not exempt from trademark law

The Renaissance Party has filed a motion for preliminary relief against Marine Le Pen and the National Rally party to stop them from using the term “La renaissance” in their 2027 election campaign slogan. The Renaissance Party cited trademark infringement and unfair competition, seeking an injunction against the use of the term and the removal of campaign materials, subject to a penalty payment.

However, in an order dated July 30, 2026, the judge presiding over summary proceedings at the Paris Judicial Court dismissed all of the requests for provisional measures filed by the Renaissance party..

While this decision might come as a surprise to a layperson, it nonetheless reflects the strict application of trademark law to this case. The judge thus reiterated the limits of trademark use and free-riding, including in the political sphere.

The Court thus held:

• that there was no likelihood of infringement, as the slogan “La renaissance” was used in the context of political campaigning, which does not constitute a product or service marketed in the course of business;
• the absence of free-riding, since, on the one hand, the defendants were not acting as economic operators and, on the other hand, the disputed term was used as a common noun in the context of promoting an independent political candidacy.

The Court also dismissed the counterclaim alleging abusive litigation filed by the National Rally party, ruling that the media coverage and the urgency of the action did not indicate any intent to cause harm on the part of the Renaissance party.

In this context, the Court:

• dismissed all of the plaintiff’s requests for injunctions, the removal of communication materials, and the deletion of content;
• ordered the Renaissance Party to pay the costs of the proceedings and to pay a total of €10,000 pursuant to Article 700 of the French Civil Procedure Code .

FIRSH’s inputs

For intellectual property rights holders, this decision provides essential clarification on the relationship between trademark law and political debate. The protection afforded by a trademark remains strictly limited to the business world and the designation of goods or services.

At FIRSH, we assist our clients in developing measured and realistic legal strategies. By accurately assessing the scope of your intellectual property rights and the context of their use by third parties, we help you protect your intellectual property assets. Just recently, in an emergency situation, FIRSH filed a trademark injunction to enforce its client’s rights and stop the unauthorized use of its trademarks, which was causing harm to the client.

Claire Poirson & Léa Monel