French far-right leader Bardella refutes anti-Semitism allegations

What the report says

Jordan Bardella, president of France’s far-right National Rally (RN), has rejected allegations that he made anti-Semitic remarks in private messages years ago, according to Al Jazeera’s report on Monday. The dispute followed a Mediapart investigation that said it had reviewed messages from 2013 to 2015 and independently verified them, as well as testimony from former party colleagues.

Bardella, who is a close ally of Marine Le Pen, said on social media that the accusations were false and part of a politically motivated effort to damage RN as it builds momentum ahead of France’s next presidential election. He said he had asked his lawyer to begin legal action. Le Pen also dismissed the allegations and suggested they were fabricated.

The report comes after RN won a record 14 seats in the French Senate, adding to the party’s recent gains. That result matters because the party has been trying to broaden its support and distance itself from the racist and anti-Semitic record associated with its earlier incarnation, the National Front. Bardella has been central to that rebranding effort and is widely seen as a possible future prime ministerial candidate if Le Pen wins the presidency.

More broadly, the episode highlights the continuing sensitivity of RN’s past and the political risk of renewed scrutiny over extremist language. In general terms, French far-right parties have long faced criticism over efforts to shed older associations while expanding their appeal.