Anti-Semitic writings attributed to Bardella: the National Rally denies the allegations, the left is outraged
A Mediapart investigation published on September 28, 2026, attributes antisemitic writings to Jordan Bardella dating back to the beginning of his involvement with the National Front. The president of the National Rally denies them and announces a defamation lawsuit. With the 2027 presidential election approaching, the political stakes are real; the authenticity of the messages, however, remains contested.
Attributed writings, a categorical denial
Mediapart reports on private conversations in which Jordan Bardella allegedly wrote that « all banks are owned by Jews » and relayed a conspiracy theory about the September 11, 2001 attacks. These remarks are antisemitic. The issue in dispute is not their nature, but their attribution: Bardella formally denies being the author and calls them forgeries. He has announced that he has filed a defamation lawsuit. At this stage, announcing a lawsuit is neither equivalent to proving that the documents are falsified, nor to legally establishing their authenticity.
Chronology matters. The exchanges mentioned date back to 2013; their publication is dated Monday, September 28, 2026. The Nouvel Obs article devoted to political reactions was published on September 28 at 9:04 p.m., then updated on Tuesday, September 29 at 8:40 a.m. These are therefore reactions to a recent investigation concerning past remarks, and not public statements made by Bardella this week.
Why this affair is linked to the RN’s strategy
The dispute goes beyond the reputation of one official. Jordan Bardella is the president of the National Rally (RN) and sits in the European Parliament, where he also chairs the Patriots for Europe group. His place in French electoral life is not simply a matter of media perception: in the European elections of June 9, 2024 , the list bearing his name and that of Marine Le Pen obtained 7,765,936 votes, or 31.37% of the votes cast, and 30 seats , according to the final results from the Ministry of the Interior. These figures describe a past election; they do not misrepresent either the voters’ reaction to the survey or their intentions for 2027.
There is also a discrepancy to examine between the public image Bardella cultivates and the writings attributed to him. During a debate in the European Parliament on October 7, 2024 , he publicly denounced the rise of antisemitism. This stance is documented. However, it is not sufficient, on its own, to exonerate its author in the face of the messages published by Mediapart; conversely, these disputed messages do not yet allow for the presentation of a personal contradiction as definitively proven. It is precisely this verification that the political debate must not overlook.
Political reactions are not proof
Marine Le Pen spoke of « madness » and « dirty tricks. » Other National Rally officials suggested manipulation, while their ally Éric Ciotti attacked Mediapart. On the left, Marine Tondelier called for Bardella’s resignation; members of the government emphasized the seriousness of the remarks if they are proven true . Dominique de Villepin, for his part, warned against judging intentions while questioning the reality of the « de-demonization » effort. These reactions outline distinct political positions. None of them, whether defending or condemning Bardella, replaces an examination of the disputed evidence.
The knee-jerk reaction of attacking the messenger doesn’t prove their investigation is flawed. The opposite reaction—mistaking outrage for expert analysis of the documents—doesn’t prove it’s true. What can be established today is more precise: a media outlet publishes serious accusations; the targeted official denies them; their adversaries and allies draw opposing political interpretations.
What we can conclude, and what is missing
The affair puts to the test a central element of the National Rally’s public discourse: its claimed break with the antisemitism associated with the National Front’s history. This is a matter of political analysis, not a conclusion about the author of the messages. The information consulted for this article does not allow for independent authentication of the exchanges or for prejudging the outcome of any potential defamation proceedings. Nor does it allow for quantifying any electoral impact. For now, the crucial question remains that of the documents and their attribution, not the volume of indignant statements.
Main source: Le Nouvel Obs – Politics (www.nouvelobs.com)
Original article: See the original source
Author: News Service
Additional sources
- Ministry of the Interior, final results of the European elections of June 9, 2024: results for all of France . ()
- European Parliament, Jordan Bardella’s profile: mandates and functions . ()
- European Parliament, record of debates of 7 October 2024: speech by Jordan Bardella .
