The future of Jordan Bardella, the young leader of France's National Rally (RN) party, hangs in the balance after allegations of antisemitism surfaced. Bardella was accused of writing antisemitic messages on Facebook Messenger in 2013. The allegations were published by the Mediapart website, which posted screenshots of the messages. Bardella has denied the allegations, accusing his opponents of launching a "total war" against him and the RN.
The allegations have put Bardella, who is likely to become prime minister if Marine Le Pen wins the 2027 presidential election, under pressure. Le Pen has shown her full support for Bardella, but her backing was put to the test after the screenshots were published. Le Pen echoed Bardella's denial, but her silence on the matter has been uncharacteristic. She only commented briefly, saying she has "complete confidence" in Bardella.
The allegations against Bardella include a message in which he wrote that "the Jew has to dominate other peoples, crush them, and rob them; a Zionist is necessarily a Jew, and fundamentally so." Bardella's strategy of denial has left him open to accusations of lying. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin and Socialist leader Olivier Faure have both criticized Bardella, with Darmanin asking if France wants a prime minister who is "not only antisemitic but also lies to the French people."
Bardella has been instrumental in implementing Le Pen's strategy of "de-demonisation" to rid the RN of its toxic legacy. He made an unprecedented visit to Israel in 2025, the first by a French far-right leader, in a bid to demonstrate the RN's new credentials. The visit was invited by Amichai Chikli, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right government.
The allegations have also sparked tensions within the RN, with some suggesting that Bardella should be replaced as Le Pen's de-facto running mate. Possible replacements include Eric Ciotti, the leader of an allied far-right party, or Marion Maréchal, Le Pen's niece. There have also been suggestions that the allegations could have come from within the RN, sparking a hunt for a "mole."
Sociologist Erwan Lecoeur, a specialist on the far right, believes that Le Pen will eventually "pull the plug" on Bardella. He argues that the more Bardella defends himself, "the deeper he digs himself into a hole – taking the RN down with him." However, lecturer in politics Marta Lorimer believes that Le Pen may not necessarily have to get rid of Bardella, and that the party will try to defend his position.
The RN has closed ranks behind Bardella, but Le Monde daily has warned that this could have risks for Le Pen herself. The paper said that the RN's strategy could see the discredit attached to Bardella "contaminate" Le Pen's presidential campaign. The allegations have put Bardella's future in doubt, and it remains to be seen whether he can survive the crisis.
Key points
- Jordan Bardella faces allegations of antisemitism
- Marine Le Pen has shown her full support for Bardella
- The allegations have sparked tensions within the National Rally party
