French mainstream right treads carefully over alleged antisemitic messages by RN leader

Mediapart published screenshots of Facebook Messenger exchanges from 2013 that it claims contain antisemitic remarks by Jordan Bardella, the president of the far-right Rassemblement National. In response, France's mainstream right, particularly Les Républicains, has largely refrained from public comment. One LR leader hinted that confirming the allegations might serve the party's interests, while another stressed the right's usual wariness toward Mediapart.

Bruno Retailleau, LR's candidate for the 2027 presidential race, said the party must await the outcome of Bardella's libel case before forming an official position, calling the alleged statements "damning and appalling" if they prove accurate. The silence reflects a strategic calculation to avoid alienating potential voters while the legal process unfolds.