Le Pen backs Bardella as anti-Semitism allegations shake French campaign

Marine Le Pen has backed Jordan Bardella after a media report accused the National Rally leader of making anti-Semitic comments in private messages in 2013. Le Pen said Bardella had her total confidence and accused Mediapart, which published the allegations, of trying to derail her campaign for the French presidency. She said the National Rally would counterattack against what she described as an attempt to destabilise the party’s momentum.

Bardella, who is widely tipped to become prime minister if Le Pen wins the presidency, strongly denies making the comments. He described the report as the beginning of a total war and said he was taking legal action against Mediapart. Mediapart said its investigation was based on messages allegedly written by Bardella when he was 17 or 18.

The outlet said it had authenticated the material, but the source report said it did not publish screenshots or specify where the messages were written. The allegations have challenged Bardella’s role in Le Pen’s effort to make the National Rally more electorally acceptable and distance it from the anti-Semitic legacy of the party’s founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen. The dispute comes as the party reports political gains.

It won enough seats in the French Senate at the weekend to form a parliamentary group in the upper house for the first time. A poll published Monday indicated that Marine Le Pen would lead the first round of next year’s presidential election and win a run-off against any challenger. Bardella said the allegations might have been orchestrated or exploited by powerful figures seeking to damage the campaign.

The source material does not establish the authenticity of the alleged messages beyond Mediapart’s account or report any legal ruling.