Jordan Bardella calls antisemitism allegations a ‘total war’ against National Rally

Jordan Bardella said a “total war” was being waged against his party after Mediapart published an investigation into antisemitic comments he allegedly wrote as a young member of France’s National Rally.

At a meeting of the party’s lawmakers and senators in parliament, Bardella called the report false and said he would sue Mediapart for defamation. Marine Le Pen, who stood beside him, expressed “absolute confidence” in the party leader.

Messages allegedly written from 2013 to 2015

Mediapart journalists said they had independently authenticated messages allegedly written by Bardella when he was 17 or 18, while the party was still called the National Front. The reported material included claims about Jewish control of banks and calls for domination over other peoples.

Bardella said the publication was intended to destabilise Le Pen’s presidential campaign, which is leading opinion polls ahead of the 2027 election. He also accused Mediapart of trying “to kill my political career”.

French politicians condemn allegations

Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said antisemitism was part of the RN’s history. Equality and anti-discrimination minister Aurore Bergé said the alleged messages recalled the far right’s nature.

Green leader Marine Tondelier called on Bardella, a member of the European Parliament, to resign from all political positions. Raphaël Glucksmann said no public-relations campaign would change the RN’s underlying character.

Yonathan Arfi of CRIF, the umbrella group for French Jewish organisations, described the alleged comments as shocking. He said that, if authentic, they would undermine the RN’s claims to have moved away from its antisemitic past.