Jordan Bardella calls for sweeping EU overhaul and warns Ceuta crisis threatens Europe

Jordan Bardella, president of France’s Reagrupación Nacional, used a Madrid forum to propose a comprehensive renewal of the European Union, arguing that Europe must become self-reliant in energy, industry, defence and migration while abandoning one outlet Green Deal. He criticized France’s budget deficits, defended nuclear plants, and urged a “technological neutrality” in automotive policy, opposing the ban on gasoline cars after 2035.

Bardella warned that the unrest in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta illustrates the stakes for Europe’s future and called for tighter border enforcement, including a more effective Frontex. Santiago Abascal of Vox introduced Bardella, condemned recent immigration regularizations in Spain, and stressed Franco-Spanish police cooperation. The speech also referenced the Russia-Ukraine war, US-China rivalry, and the need for Europe to act independently of US influence.