Marine Le Pen has publicly reaffirmed her support for Jordan Bardella after a second report by investigative outlet Mediapart alleged that old messages attributed to the National Rally president contained antisemitic and conspiratorial remarks. Bardella denies writing the messages, describing them as fabricated, and says he has filed legal complaints.
The dispute adds pressure to France’s National Rally as it prepares for the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen, the party’s likely candidate, told La Tribune Dimanche that she has “total confidence” in Bardella, who could become prime minister if she wins the presidency.
Le Pen renews support after three days of silence
Le Pen had previously defended Bardella when Mediapart first published allegations earlier in the week. However, she faced renewed questions after the outlet released a second article presenting what it described as additional evidence.
In her latest comments, Le Pen sought to draw a distinction between the accusations and Bardella’s current political identity. Her position contrasts with an account reported by Le Parisien, which cited a campaign source who suggested that she may privately consider the messages authentic and attributable to Bardella as a teenager.
That reported assessment has not been presented as an official statement by Le Pen or the National Rally. Bardella continues to reject the allegations.
What the allegations concern
Mediapart says the messages date from 2013, when Bardella was 17 or 18. According to the outlet, some of the texts included hostile comments about Jewish people, Israel, banking interests and French politicians.
The reporting also focused on the alleged influence of Alain Soral, a far-right figure who has been convicted in France in cases involving incitement to racial hatred, antisemitic insults, homophobia and Holocaust denial.
Mediapart said it preserved the spelling and grammatical errors in the messages it published. It also reported that the material came from a Facebook archive extraction and that Meta authenticated the messages. Those claims are disputed by Bardella, who has described the material as “crude fakes”.
Authentication claims and allegations of authorship remain contested. No court finding establishing Bardella’s responsibility for the messages has been reported in the supplied material.
Bardella announces legal action
Bardella has announced two legal complaints: one alleging defamation and another concerning forgery and the use of forged documents. The legal complaints are separate from any political assessment of the controversy and do not, by themselves, establish whether the messages are genuine.
Mediapart has defended its reporting and accused Bardella of denying authorship of texts it says he wrote. The outlet’s second publication was framed as a response to criticism of its initial investigation.
The dispute illustrates the legal and political risks of publishing alleged private communications, particularly when the material concerns a senior party leader and a potential future government minister. Any judicial proceedings would need to establish the authenticity, origin and context of the messages.
Political impact remains uncertain
Despite the controversy, reporting cited in the source material suggests that National Rally strategists do not currently expect a major change in the party’s support. A campaign source told Le Parisien that the allegations were not damaging voting intentions, while polling cited in the reports placed Le Pen at between 31% and 36% in first-round support.
Those figures are opinion-poll estimates, not election results. France’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2027, and the eventual outcome will depend on the candidates, campaign developments, turnout and voting on election day.
Le Pen was reported to be ahead of former prime minister Édouard Philippe and Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the cited polling. The supplied material does not identify the pollsters, fieldwork dates or full methodology, so the figures should be treated as reported estimates rather than a definitive measure of public opinion.
Budget plans add another political test
Le Pen and Bardella are expected to appear together at a press conference to present an alternative budget proposed by the National Rally. The event would come as the French government advances its own budget plans.
The controversy has also prompted speculation about the party’s position if the government uses Article 49.3 of the French Constitution. That procedure allows a bill to be adopted without a conventional vote in the National Assembly unless MPs pass a motion of censure.
Reports cited in the source material questioned whether National Rally might avoid supporting a censure motion in order not to intensify negative publicity. This remains a matter of political speculation, not a confirmed change in the party’s position.
Why the dispute matters in French and European politics
The allegations matter beyond an internal party dispute because National Rally is one of France’s most important political forces and is preparing for a presidential contest with wider consequences for the European Union.
France is a central EU member state, and the positions of a future French president and government would influence debates on migration, national sovereignty, defence, public finances, relations with European institutions and support for Ukraine. Bardella’s possible role in a future government therefore gives the controversy broader relevance in European politics.
At present, however, the central facts remain disputed:
- Mediapart says the messages are authentic and attributed to Bardella as a teenager.
- Bardella denies authorship and characterises the material as fabricated.
- He has announced complaints alleging defamation, forgery and use of forged documents.
- Marine Le Pen has publicly reiterated her confidence in Bardella.
- No final judicial finding on the allegations is reported in the supplied information.
What happens next?
The next developments are likely to involve any legal proceedings arising from Bardella’s complaints, further reporting about the alleged messages and the National Rally’s budget presentation. The party’s handling of the controversy may also be watched closely as France’s 2027 presidential campaign begins to take shape.
For now, the political message from Le Pen is clear: she intends to maintain her alliance with Bardella despite the allegations. Whether the dispute affects public support will depend on subsequent evidence, legal developments and how voters assess the issue during the longer campaign.
Conclusion
Marine Le Pen has backed Jordan Bardella while allegations over old antisemitic and conspiratorial messages remain contested. Bardella denies writing them and is pursuing legal action, while Mediapart stands by its reporting. The immediate political impact is uncertain, but the dispute could become significant as National Rally prepares for France’s 2027 presidential election and seeks to present itself as a potential governing force.
