Le Pen backs Bardella after antisemitism allegations

Marine Le Pen said she had “complete confidence” in Jordan Bardella after the investigative news website Mediapart accused her top ally of making antisemitic comments in 2013.

The French far-right presidential candidate made the comment in a brief statement published by La Tribune Dimanche on October 3. “I have complete confidence in Jordan,” Le Pen said.

Bardella, 31, has denied the allegations. He has said he would file a legal case against Mediapart for defamation, forgery and use of forgeries.

Le Pen had already defended Bardella after Mediapart first published the allegations on Monday. Her latest statement was her first comment after Mediapart published a second report on Thursday with screenshots of messages it says Bardella sent to another person on Facebook Messenger in 2013.

According to Mediapart, the alleged messages included antisemitic comments about Jews, Zionists and banks. Mediapart said it had authenticated the messages and cited biographical details in the conversations as evidence that Bardella wrote them.

Bardella said Mediapart’s reporting marked the start of a “total war” to derail Le Pen’s campaign.

Bardella has been a prominent figure in Le Pen’s effort to make the National Rally more electorally acceptable and distance it from the legacy of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded the party when it was known as the National Front and repeatedly made antisemitic remarks.

A poll published Monday suggested Le Pen would lead the first round of next year’s presidential election and defeat any challenger in a second-round run-off. She plans to stand despite a conviction in a European Parliament fake jobs case, which she says was falsified by opponents.