French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has vowed to counterattack against allegations of anti-Semitism targeting her de-facto number two, Jordan Bardella. The allegations, published by Mediapart, have punctured Le Pen's campaign, which has been gaining momentum ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen lambasted Mediapart and expressed her total confidence in Bardella, who has vehemently denied making anti-Semitic comments.
Bardella, the 31-year-old leader of Le Pen's National Rally (RN) party, has been a key player in her project of de-demonisation, aimed at making the RN an electable force. He has helped the RN make inroads among the youth vote and is tipped to be premier if Le Pen wins the presidency. Bardella has denied the allegations, dating back to 2013, and said the report marked the start of a total war to derail Le Pen's campaign.
The allegations against Bardella are based on comments in private chats, allegedly written by him in the summer of 2013. Mediapart maintains it authenticated the comments, which include statements such as "The Jew has to dominate other peoples, crush them, and rob them; a Zionist is necessarily a Jew, and fundamentally so." Bardella has been a key figure in Le Pen's efforts to rid the party of its extremist legacy and has made an unprecedented visit to Israel to demonstrate the RN's new credentials.
Le Pen reaffirmed her total confidence in Bardella and warned that opponents would do anything to derail her momentum ahead of the 2027 election. She is planning to stand despite a conviction for a fake jobs scam in the European parliament, a case she claims was falsified by opponents. A poll published Monday suggested that Le Pen would easily lead the first round of voting and defeat any challenger in the second round run-off.
The RN party has scored a notable breakthrough by winning enough seats in the French Senate to form a parliamentary group in the upper house for the first time. Bardella, flanked by Le Pen, told party deputies that he believed the allegations were an operation prepared for several months. He denounced what he called a bid to kill his political career and suggested that either Mediapart orchestrated the allegations or was tricked by powerful figures.
The allegations have sparked reactions from across the French political spectrum. Julien Aubert, vice president of the right-wing Republicans, commented that there would be one corpse in the affair, either Mediapart or Bardella. He suggested that if Mediapart is right, it is unclear how Bardella can continue, while if the allegations are a dirty trick, Mediapart has taken a great risk.
Le Pen's campaign has been gaining momentum, with a recent poll showing her widening lead ahead of the 2027 presidential vote. She has warned that her opponents will stop at nothing to derail her campaign and has vowed to respond to the allegations against Bardella. The RN party is seeking to capitalize on its recent successes and push forward with its campaign.
Key points
- Le Pen vows to counterattack against allegations of anti-Semitism targeting Bardella.
- Bardella denies making anti-Semitic comments and says the allegations are a bid to kill his political career.
- The allegations have sparked reactions from across the French political spectrum, with some questioning the motives behind the report.
