A French investigative journalism platform stated on Thursday that it successfully verified antisemitic messages from 2013 attributed to Jordan Bardella, the de facto deputy of far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen. The disclosure arrives approximately seven months before voters select a successor to President Emmanuel Macron, with Le Pen currently topping opinion polls.
Bardella, 31, has categorically denied authoring the messages. On Thursday, he announced plans to initiate legal proceedings against Mediapart, accusing the outlet of defamation, forgery, and the use of fabricated evidence.
Mediapart released screenshots of what it identified as private conversations on Facebook’s Messenger platform, in which Bardella is alleged to have exchanged antisemitic remarks with another individual in 2013. The publication argued that specific biographical markers within the chats confirm their authenticity, including references to a mother born in Italy, a 2013 interview Bardella gave to Le Parisien, and his failure to pass the entrance examination for Sciences Po university.
According to Mediapart, technical analysis of the conversation allowed for precise dating and verification that the exchange was not altered post-facto. The outlet further noted that Meta/Facebook lists the participant on the opposing end of the chat under the name Jordan Bardella.
Bardella rejected these findings, describing the proof as “pseudo-evidence” consisting of “crude fabrications, obscure and easily manipulated screenshots.” He insisted he never made the remarks in question.
The controversy poses a significant challenge to Le Pen’s ongoing effort to rebrand her National Rally (RN) party and broaden its electoral appeal. As Bardella is expected to become prime minister should Le Pen win the presidency next year, the allegations risk undermining her “de-demonization” strategy.
Despite the scandal, the 58-year-old candidate remains strong in the polls. She has expressed “total confidence” in Bardella, who has been instrumental in expanding the party’s support among younger demographics. Le Pen characterized the allegations as part of a “total war” against her movement during her fourth presidential bid.
Edouard Philippe, a rival presidential candidate and former prime minister, stated that the new evidence from Mediapart makes it “virtually established” that Bardella made remarks that were “obviously and scandalously antisemitic.”
A recent poll indicated that Le Pen is likely to secure a comfortable lead in the first round of next year’s election and defeat any opponent in the subsequent runoff.
Seven months before voting? This feels like a strategic release designed to keep the media focused on scandal rather than policy debates.
This is exactly why de-demonization is so hard for the RN. How do you normalize a party when your number two is accused of this?
I find it hard to believe this is just defamation claims. The biographical markers they listed really do seem specific enough to be verifiable.
Seems like a huge deal this close to the election. Bardella really denied it, but Mediapart has some solid technical evidence here.