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Bardella Sues Mediapart Over Alleged Antisemitic Private Messages
A French news website, Mediapart, published a report about old private messages linked to Jordan Bardella.
The messages were from 2013 to 2015, when he was beginning his political career.
Mediapart said some messages included antisemitic ideas.
Bardella said the messages were not his and called the report an attempt to hurt his party before an election.
He said he filed a defamation lawsuit against Mediapart.
Marine Le Pen also said the report was probably fake or manipulated.
France’s foreign minister said antisemitism had been part of the National Rally’s history.
Reuters said it had not independently verified the private messages.
Jordan Bardella said he filed a defamation lawsuit against Mediapart over its report.
Mediapart alleged private messages from 2013 to 2015 contained antisemitic and conspiratorial rhetoric.
The report cited a message allegedly saying that all banks are owned by Jews.
Bardella denied making the statements and called the report an effort to destabilize his party’s campaign.
Marine Le Pen and Bardella rejected the allegations, while Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot criticized the National Rally’s history.
- Who
- Jordan Bardella, Mediapart, Marine Le Pen, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
- What
- Bardella said he filed a defamation lawsuit over Mediapart’s report alleging antisemitic remarks in private messages.
- Where
- France.
- When
- The report and lawsuit were reported on Monday, September 28; the messages dated from 2013 to 2015.
- Why
- Bardella said the report was intended to destabilize the National Rally’s campaign ahead of an election; Mediapart said its report documented alleged antisemitic rhetoric.
Mediapart and Critics
Bardella and National Rally
Authenticity of the messages
Mediapart and Critics
Mediapart said it independently authenticated private messages from 2013 to 2015 and supported its report with accounts from former party colleagues.
Bardella and National Rally
Bardella said the statements were completely delusional and were not his; Le Pen said the report could only be a fake, manipulation, or dirty trick.
Purpose of the report
Mediapart and Critics
Mediapart presented the messages as evidence of a pattern of antisemitic and conspiratorial rhetoric connected to Bardella’s early political career.
Bardella and National Rally
Bardella said the report was an attempt to destabilize the National Rally’s campaign shortly before an election in which the party was leading polls.
National Rally’s record
Mediapart and Critics
Jean-Noel Barrot said antisemitism was part of the National Rally’s history rather than an isolated incident.
Bardella and National Rally
The National Rally has sought to normalize its image and build closer ties with Israel; Bardella previously pledged to remove candidates with a history of racist or other toxic statements.
Key facts
- Accused politician
- Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s National Rally party
- News outlet
- Mediapart, a left-leaning investigative website
- Alleged message period
- 2013 to 2015
- Reported allegation
- Mediapart cited a message allegedly saying that all banks are owned by Jews
- Legal action
- Bardella said he filed a defamation lawsuit against Mediapart
- Verification status
- Mediapart said it authenticated the messages; Reuters did not independently authenticate them
- Election context
- The allegations emerged ahead of next year’s presidential election, in which Marine Le Pen was leading polls
Quotes
Jean-Noel Barrot
French foreign minister
“There is clearly an attempt to destabilise the campaign, coincidentally, just months before an election where we are leading in the polls. Again, I believe the French people are not fooled. They see that everything is being done to undermine us.”
theprint.in
“To all those with short memories: antisemitism is not a mere blip for the RN; it is the very history of this party. This is the true face of the far right.”
theprint.in
Sources
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