Bardella Denies Antisemitism Claims as RN Faces Political Storm
France's far-right leader accuses opponents of a 'total war' after Mediapart publishes alleged antisemitic messages from his youth.
France's far-right leader accuses opponents of a 'total war' after Mediapart publishes alleged antisemitic messages from his youth.
KEY TAKEAWAYS- Jordan Bardella, the head of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), has vehemently denied antisemitic comments allegedly written when he was 17 or 18.
- The National Rally has worked to distance itself from its antisemitic roots since Marine Le Pen took over the party in 2011.
- The controversy comes as the RN is riding high in pre-election polls.
- [theguardian.
Bardella Denies Allegations, Calls for Legal Action
Jordan Bardella, the head of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), has vehemently denied antisemitic comments allegedly written when he was 17 or 18. The investigative website Mediapart published the messages, which included statements such as 'the Jew has to dominate other peoples' and 'all the banks are owned by Jews'. Bardella has accused the outlet of waging a 'total war' against his party and said he will take legal action for defamation.
Speaking to party lawmakers, Bardella claimed the report was a fabrication intended to damage the RN ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He suggested the operation was either run by Mediapart itself or manipulated by interested parties. Marine Le Pen, the RN candidate and Bardella's mentor, expressed 'absolute confidence' in him, calling the allegations 'weird' and likely a forgery.
Context: RN's Efforts to Detoxify Its Image
The National Rally has worked to distance itself from its antisemitic roots since Marine Le Pen took over the party in 2011. Her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, was a notorious antisemite who founded the party and was expelled in 2015. The RN now positions itself as a 'shield for the Jewish community' and has sought to appeal to Jewish voters.
Bardella has attempted to bolster this image through public relations exercises, such as an unprecedented visit to Israel in 2025. However, the alleged comments have drawn sharp criticism from political opponents and Jewish organisations. The French foreign minister described antisemitism as a 'real face' of the far right, while the head of the Jewish umbrella group CRIF questioned how a leader with such comments could hold a high position in a party claiming to have changed.
Political Fallout and Polling Trends
The controversy comes as the RN is riding high in pre-election polls. Recent surveys show Marine Le Pen as the clear favourite to win the presidential election, potentially beating centrist rivals. The party also recently gained enough seats in the Senate to form an official group for the first time.
Opposition leaders have called for Bardella to resign. The Green party leader, Marine Tondelier, described him as an 'obsessional antisemite', while the Socialist candidate Raphaël Glucksmann argued that the party's history cannot be erased. Bardella's deputy, Jean-Philippe Tanguy, suggested the allegations come from disaffected members the party had previously purged for antisemitic views.
Sources and context
theguardian.com — National Rally’s Jordan Bardella rails at ‘war’ on party after antisemitism claims
bbc.co.uk — French hard-right leader accuses opponents of 'total war' after claims of antisemitism
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