In brief
Jordan Bardella, who leads France’s hard‑right National Rally, has announced a libel suit following Mediapart’s publication of alleged antisemitic remarks from 2013. The far‑right figure denies the authenticity of the excerpts, saying they were fabricated to destabilise his party ahead of the presidential election. Mediapart claims the texts were authenticated via a larger documentary base. Bardella’s pledge of legal action has been backed by Marine Le Pen, who affirmingly supports him. The controversy unfolds amid a poll‑driven surge in RN support, raising questions about political rhetoric, freedom of speech and the far‑right’s efforts to distance itself from its antisemitic past.
Jordan Bardella, president of France’s hard‑right National Rally, is threatening a libel lawsuit after Mediapart revealed what it says were antisemitic remarks from 2013.
In its story, Mediapart presents the alleged exchanges as part of a “several months” investigation into written conversations made by the 31‑year‑old when he was a young activist. The violation claims include statements such as “All the banks are owned by Jews” and “What they want is a new world order dominated by Israel.”
Bardella dismissed the revelations as a fabrication designed to sabotage his party’s campaign. He accused Mediapart of either running a deliberate “opposition operation” or being manipulated by “interested parties.” The nationalist leader told CNews that he would have his lawyer file a libel action the very next day.
Marine Le Pen, RN’s presidential candidate, shot back that the allegations “seem so weird that they can only be a forgery.” She added that Mediapart was known for “dirty tricks.”
National Rally supporters claim the source of the material is a disgruntled ex‑member expelled for antisemitic views in the early 2010s. The party states it has worked hard to distance itself from its legacy of antisemitism, even hosting a conference in Israel last year.
Beyond the legal threat, the controversy arrives as RN polls have seen a steady climb, with Marine Le Pen projected to win the upcoming presidential election. The simmering debate reflects a larger conversation about bias, defamation and the limits of political rhetoric.
