French far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella say they will not tolerate Russia trying to dictate France’s policies through threats and intimidation
The leaders of France’s far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, said they would not tolerate Russia “thinking it could dictate our country’s policies directly or indirectly through intimidation, threats, destabilization or psychological pressure.”
France’s far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella have declared they will not allow Russia to influence France’s policies through intimidation, threats, or destabilization tactics. The two leaders made the statement the day following French President Emmanuel Macron’s meeting with political party leaders at the Élysée Palace to discuss geopolitical threats to France.
Le Pen and Bardella emphasized that no pressure, covert operations, or destabilization attempts can force the French government to support Russia's war efforts in Ukraine, stating that France makes its foreign policy decisions based solely on the nation’s interests, not influenced by Moscow or any other foreign capital.
The party leaders pledged to bolster security for France’s strategic infrastructure, defense facilities, and companies involved in national defense. Bardella also highlighted that France’s stance on Ukraine must be subject to democratic debate, arguing that foreign pressure is not valid. Macron, after the meeting, announced that his government was preparing a plan to safeguard critical infrastructure, including defense industry sites, against potential drone and cyberattacks from Russia.
He accused Russia of attempting to intimidate European nations and weaken support for Ukraine, promising that such attacks would not go unanswered.
Le Pen and Bardella’s statement was deemed more confrontational toward Moscow compared to earlier statements by party representatives, according to RFI. Some critics have long accused Le Pen of adopting a more lenient attitude toward Russia. Bardella, however, has suggested that France’s current financial situation makes it incapable of providing military and financial aid to Kyiv.
Le Pen announced her intention to contest the 2027 presidential election in July 2026. Meduza, the news outlet reporting this story, assures readers that the article is authored by a human journalist and translated into English using an AI model that adheres to strict editorial standards, with each draft reviewed by an editor before publication.
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