French Far-Right Leader Bardella Accused of Antisemitic Remarks in Private Chats

French investigative outlet Mediapart has published details from the private correspondence of Jordan Bardella, the leader of the National Rally party, alleging he made antisemitic and conspiratorial statements about Jews, banks, and Israel early in his political career. Bardella, who was 17 and already a member of the National Front (later renamed National Rally) at the time of the alleged conversations starting in summer 2013, has vehemently denied the claims, calling the messages "crude fakes" and stating his lawyer has filed a defamation suit.

Mediapart claims to have obtained access to dozens of private conversations and asserts the authenticity of the messages has been confirmed. According to the publication, Bardella wrote in one message that "all banks belong to Jews." Other alleged messages discuss connections between Zionism and banking influence, and purported Jewish plans for a new world order dominated by Israel. He reportedly mentioned philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, economist Jacques Attali, and major financial companies, suggesting that individuals prioritizing Israeli and banking interests over French ones held important state positions.

The report also highlights Bardella's positive remarks about Alain Soral and Dieudonné, both known for antisemitic statements in France. This publication comes as the National Rally has spent years attempting to distance itself from the antisemitic associations of its past under the National Front banner.

Bardella has publicly refuted Mediapart's findings, asserting he never made such statements publicly or privately. Marine Le Pen also dismissed the report as "fake news." Bardella visited Jerusalem in 2024, meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu and visiting the Yad Vashem memorial.