Le Pen, Bardella Reject Russian ‘Intimidation’ Ahead of Vote

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and her party’s chief Jordan Bardella have firmly rejected Russian "intimidation" ahead of the country's upcoming presidential elections scheduled for April. The National Rally (RN) party members, previously seen as amicable to Moscow, denounced Russia's hostile actions towards France. Voter polls indicate Le Pen as the frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, despite her being convicted of corruption and maintaining a 9.4-million-euro loan from a Moscow bank.

Bardella is poised to become the prime minister if Le Pen secures the election victory. The pair issued their joint statement distancing themselves from Russia following the Kremlin's order to seize Russian subsidiaries of several major French businesses, including Nestle's subsidiary, last week. Moscow claimed the move targeted "unfriendly countries" that support Ukraine, which it has invaded and aims to conquer.

French President Emmanuel Macron, ineligible to run again due to term limits, convened a meeting of French political leaders on Friday to deliberate the escalating threat from Moscow. However, Le Pen did not participate in the meeting. Critics of Le Pen allege her cozy relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, insinuating her party had previously contracted a loan from a Russian bank. Despite her 2017 visit to Moscow to meet Putin, she later denounced Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In her statement alongside Bardella, Le Pen emphasized that Russia "cannot hope to directly or indirectly dictate the policies" of France through intimidation, threats, destabilization, or psychological pressure. They warned that no provocation, clandestine operation, or destabilization action would force France to assist Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.