Jordan Bardella, the president of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party and close ally of Marine Le Pen, is facing criticism and legal challenges following the publication of alleged antisemitic messages he sent as a teenager. The accusations emerged from an investigation by the French online news outlet Mediapart, which reported that Bardella, then aged 17 to 18, made statements expressing antisemitic conspiracies and stereotypes between 2013 and 2015, when the party was still known as the Front National.
Mediapart, which said it authenticated the messages through corroboration with current and former party members, did not release the full texts but quoted excerpts including claims that “all the banks are owned by Jews” and that “the Jew must dominate other people, squash them or steal from them.” The investigation also cited Bardella sharing videos insinuating that Israeli intelligence was involved in the 9/11 attacks. The outlet linked Bardella’s views to the influence of Alain Soral, a far-right essayist previously convicted for antisemitic remarks.
Bardella has vehemently denied the allegations, calling the accusations fabricated and part of a coordinated campaign to destabilize the RN ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Speaking to French media, he said the statements were not his and not representative of his teenage self. He announced that he had filed a defamation lawsuit against Mediapart and accused the outlet of pursuing a politically motivated agenda. Marine Le Pen expressed “absolute confidence” in Bardella and dismissed the claims as attempts to undermine their political momentum. At a parliamentary meeting, Bardella was applauded by party deputies and senators as he described the reports as a “total war” against the RN.
The controversy comes as Le Pen maintains a steady lead in opinion polls as she gears up for her fourth presidential bid next year. Bardella, who had briefly been considered as a potential candidate in the event Le Pen was barred from running, is seen as a key figure in her campaign, often touted as a future prime minister if the RN were to win the presidency and parliamentary majority. The allegations therefore threaten not only Bardella’s standing but also the party’s ongoing efforts to distance itself from its far-right and antisemitic legacy.
The RN was founded by Marine Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, whose leadership was marked by frequent antisemitic and racist remarks and multiple convictions for hate speech. Marine Le Pen expelled her father from the party in 2015 in an effort to moderate its image and court broader voter support, particularly among France’s Jewish community. Bardella has sought to continue this rebranding, including making a high-profile visit to Israel last year, where he paid respects at Yad Vashem and engaged in discussions on antisemitism.
Political rivals across the spectrum quickly condemned the alleged messages. France’s Green Party leader Marine Tondelier called on Bardella to resign, labeling him “an obsessive antisemite.” The Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure and far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon also denounced the revelations, while the French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot described them as revealing the “true face of the far right.” Jewish organizations expressed deep concern, with representatives saying that if the allegations are verified, they would undermine the RN’s claims that it has shed its hateful past.
Mediapart’s journalists have said they stand by their reporting and have indicated a willingness to publish additional documents if their credibility is further challenged in court. Analysts note that the controversy exposes lasting challenges for the RN in reconciling its efforts to appear more mainstream with its historical and ongoing associations with antisemitism and xenophobia. Whether the story will significantly impact Marine Le Pen's presidential campaign remains uncertain, but observers agree it underscores the complex legacy the party continues to navigate.