France's National Rally expels policeman over racist remarks

France's National Rally expelled a member who is a policeman after body camera footage published by local daily Midi Libre showed racist, homophobic and sexist remarks during conversations with colleagues while on duty.

The footage, dated November 2025 and recorded in the southern town of Carcassonne, was published on Tuesday. Midi Libre identified the officer who spoke the most as part of the National Rally's security detail and said he repeatedly used derogatory terms for people perceived as being of North African or African descent.

The National Rally on Wednesday denounced the remarks “in the strongest possible terms”, describing them as “criminally punishable” and “at odds with the values” of the party. It said it had “immediately removed him from the ranks of the security team and expelled him from the National Rally”.

Aurore Berge, President Emmanuel Macron's equality minister, condemned the remarks as “absolutely unacceptable”. The Carcassonne prosecutor's office said it had launched an investigation, without providing more details.

The case comes as Marine Le Pen prepares to run for president for a fourth time next spring. Polls show her leading in the first round and posing at least a major threat to any rival in the second round.