‘I have complete confidence in Jordan’: Le Pen backs Bardella after three days of silence
Le Pen reiterates backing for Bardella as message allegations intensify
Poinews.com – Marine Le Pen has again voiced her support for Jordan Bardella as accusations surrounding alleged antisemitic and conspiracist online messages continue to disrupt the National Rally’s political campaign.
In comments published on Sunday, Le Pen said she had “total confidence” in Bardella, the party leader widely expected to become prime minister should she win France’s 2027 presidential election. Her intervention came three days after further allegations were published concerning messages said to date from 2013, when Bardella was 17 or 18.
“I have complete confidence in Jordan.”
The controversy has placed Bardella under intense pressure at a sensitive moment for the National Rally, while Le Pen remains ahead in first-round polling for the presidential contest. Surveys currently place her between 31% and 36%, ahead of former prime minister Édouard Philippe and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who are competing for second place.
Alleged messages and Bardella’s response
The disputed exchanges contain language attributed to Bardella that targets Jews, Zionists, Israeli interests and members of François Hollande’s former government. The material also raises questions about the possible influence of Alain Soral, a far-right activist and commentator who has repeatedly been convicted for offences including incitement to racial hatred, antisemitic abuse, homophobia and Holocaust denial.
One alleged conversation includes claims about “the Jew” seeking to dominate, impoverish and exploit other peoples. Another passage is said to suggest that Zionism and Jewish identity are inseparable. Bardella is also accused of alleging that several ministers placed Israel and banking interests above France’s interests.
Bardella has categorically rejected the material, describing it as fabricated and politically motivated. He says the allegations are part of an effort to damage the National Rally ahead of the presidential campaign.
“Crude fakes.”
He has announced two legal actions: one for defamation and another concerning forgery and the use of forged documents. The publication behind the allegations has maintained that the messages are authentic, saying screenshots were supplied by people described as close to Bardella and that Meta confirmed the material through an extraction from a Facebook archive.
The dispute is therefore likely to move from the political arena into the courts. It also creates a difficult challenge for a party that has spent years trying to broaden its appeal and distance itself from the more openly extremist rhetoric associated with parts of the French far right.
Le Pen’s public defence and private doubts
Le Pen initially dismissed the claims when confronted by journalists during a visit to a trade fair earlier in the week. She challenged the idea that voters would accept the allegations and ended the exchange quickly.
“You won’t get anyone to believe that.”
“It’s not that it’s not an issue (...) it’s just madness.”
Her latest declaration of confidence presents a united public front with Bardella. Yet the episode has also prompted reports of internal uncertainty. A person involved in the National Rally campaign was quoted as saying Le Pen may believe the exchanges could be genuine, while viewing them as the words of a teenager influenced by Soral rather than a reflection of Bardella today.
That interpretation differs sharply from Bardella’s own position. His defence is not that the comments were youthful mistakes, but that they were never written by him at all. The distinction matters politically and legally: an admission of past conduct would leave room for an argument about personal change, while a denial makes the authenticity of the messages central to the case.
Potential impact on the National Rally campaign
For now, figures within the party appear confident that the allegations will not substantially weaken Le Pen’s electoral base. One campaign source argued that the controversy would not affect the 30% to 35% of voters intending to support her.
“If our electorate paid attention to what the press says about us, we’d be on 2%.”
Still, the timing is awkward. Le Pen and Bardella are expected to appear together on Tuesday to present an alternative budget for the National Rally, following the government’s unveiling of its own budget plans on Thursday. The joint appearance is likely to underline their political partnership while giving both figures an opportunity to address economic policy rather than the allegations surrounding Bardella.
The affair could also influence parliamentary calculations. France’s government may use Article 49.3 of the Constitution to pass its budget without a vote, unless the National Assembly adopts a motion of censure. The National Rally has often used such moments to pressure the government, but some within the party are reportedly considering whether a fresh confrontation would add to an already difficult political climate.
Article 49.3 is among the most consequential tools available to a French government. It allows legislation to be adopted without a parliamentary vote, but exposes ministers to a no-confidence motion. If no such motion wins a majority, the bill becomes law. Whether the National Rally chooses to support a censure effort could therefore have implications beyond Bardella’s personal controversy.
As the presidential race takes shape, Le Pen’s response signals that Bardella remains central to her strategy. Their relationship has become one of the National Rally’s most important political assets: Le Pen brings years of presidential campaigning, while Bardella has emerged as a prominent younger figure in the party. The allegations have put that alliance under scrutiny, but Le Pen’s public stance leaves little doubt that she intends to stand beside him for now.
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