Bardella's denial of antisemitic remarks challenged as website publishes evidence
The outlet said Meta data and biographical details verified the chats, while Bardella denied authorship and filed defamation and forgery complaints.
- On Thursday, investigative outlet Mediapart published Facebook Messenger screenshots from 2013 and 2014 attributed to National Rally president Jordan Bardella, claiming Meta data extraction and a court bailiff certification confirm their authenticity.
- Bardella rejected the accusations as "crude fabrications" and "pseudo-evidence," announcing he would file a defamation lawsuit against Mediapart for "forgery and use of forgeries."
- Mediapart verified the conversations by cross-referencing biographical details including Bardella's Italian heritage and his failed Sciences Po entrance exam, drawing on interviews with 18 people and dozens of written exchanges.
- President Emmanuel Macron called the remarks "extremely serious and unacceptable," while rival Edouard Philippe stated it is "virtually established" that Bardella made antisemitic comments; Marine Le Pen voiced "total confidence" in her deputy.
- The affair threatens to damage Le Pen's de-demonisation project ahead of the presidential election occurring in seven months, though she currently leads opinion polls aiming to replace Macron in next year's vote.
64 Articles
64 Articles
Mediapart's remarks to the President of the National Rally highlight the permanence of anti-Jewish speeches. The mood note of our journalist Rachel Binhas.
Special anti-Semitic messages attributed to the President of the French National Assembly, Jordan Bardilla, provoked extensive political and legal controversy in France, resulting in demands for a criminal investigation into the matter.
New revelations about Jordan Bardella: Mediapart publishes further screenshots of anti-Semitic news attributed to the RN boss. He rejects authorship.
Jordan Bardella Isn’t Such a Friend of Jews After All
New revelations allege French far-right leader Jordan Bardella was once an obsessive antisemite who wrote that Jews dominate and rob other peoples. While his National Rally party has airbrushed its image, the conspiratorial worldview remains at its core.
French website publishes evidence for antisemitism claims against far-right leader
A French investigative journalism website said it had been able to authenticate antisemitic messages from 2013 attributed to far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen’s de facto deputy.
The French far-right National Rally party is in crisis after allegations that party leader Jordan Bardella expressed anti-Semitism online 13 years ago – which he denies. Party colleague and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen responds to the publishing newspaper with a threat: – Mediapart needs to put on their bulletproof vests, because there will be an answer for how they behave.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
