Bardella denies antisemitic messages from early in his career
Investigative outlet Mediapart says it examined private messages from 2013 to 2015, but Bardella calls the allegations fabrications.
Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s Rassemblement National, denies making antisemitic and conspiratorial statements in private messages. The allegations come as his party seeks to change its image and move closer to Israel.
Mediapart published an investigation on Monday into messages that the French investigative outlet says date from the early years of Bardella’s political career. They reportedly comprise dozens of conversations from 2013 to 2015, when he was active within the Front National, predecessor to the current Rassemblement National. Mediapart says they show a recurring pattern of antisemitic and conspiratorial language.
Bardella denies the allegations. Writing on X, he said that the statements attributed to him were fabrications and that he had instructed lawyers to take action against Mediapart. The crux of the dispute is therefore clear: the investigative outlet says it examined and authenticated the messages, while Bardella disputes their authenticity and attribution.
Independent reporting by Reuters confirms that Mediapart published the allegations and that Bardella formally denies them. However, the available sources do not provide a complete public collection of the disputed messages. It is therefore not possible to establish independently which messages are genuine, the context in which they were written, or whether the person who wrote them was indeed Bardella.
The timing is politically sensitive. Rassemblement National has long sought to distance itself from the antisemitic and racist past associated with parts of the party. During the 2024 legislative elections, statements by RN candidates again came under fire. According to Reuters, Bardella then promised to bar candidates who made discriminatory remarks more forcefully.
The case could therefore affect the credibility of that change of course, even if the allegations are ultimately not proven in court. For the party, the issue is not only Bardella’s personal reputation, but also whether it can convince voters that its political project has fundamentally changed. For now, the publication is met by an explicit denial; a definitive judgement requires further verification or legal assessment.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Mediapart says Bardella made antisemitic and conspiratorial statements in old private messages.
- Bardella denies this and announces legal action.
- The complete messages are not available in the public sources consulted.
Left
Arguments A party seeking government power must credibly change not only its programme but also its approach to antisemitism. Old statements may remain relevant if they point to a pattern.
Values Protection of minorities, historical responsibility and vigilance towards the far right.
Consequences The revelations could further undermine confidence in RN’s supposed normalisation.
Centre
Arguments Allegations about private messages should be investigated seriously, but also tested against journalistic and legal standards. Neither the publication nor the denial is, in itself, a definitive judgement.
Values Factual accuracy, due process, press freedom and political responsibility.
Consequences Independent verification of the messages is needed to justify political conclusions.
Right
Arguments Political opponents and the media should not use old private messages without full context to disqualify a party leader permanently. The focus should be on current policy and demonstrable actions.
Values Individual responsibility, fair process and limiting media campaigns.
Consequences Premature condemnation could strengthen Bardella’s support and increase polarisation around RN.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text carefully distinguishes between the allegation and the denial. The disputed messages are not presented as an established fact.
- confirmed Mediapart published an investigation on 28 September into private messages attributed to Bardella. — Reuters and Euronews describe the publication and the period from 2013 to 2015. source
- confirmed Bardella denies the allegations and calls them fabrications. — This appears in Reuters’ account of his response. source
- confirmed Rassemblement National is seeking to distance itself from its racist image. — Reuters places the affair in the context of the party’s course. source
Editor's note
It is established that Mediapart published the allegations and that Bardella denies them. The content and authenticity of the private messages could not be fully independently verified.Sources
- French far-right leader Bardella denies media claim he made antisemitic remarks — Reuters via Internazionale
- Mediapart attribue à Jordan Bardella des écrits antisémites — Euronews
- Jordan Bardella — Wikipedia
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „jordan bardella”
- de Volkskrant — „jordan bardella”
- RTL Nieuws — „jordan bardella”