{
  "id": 10478448,
  "title": "French far right’s Bardella denies reports he made antisemitic comments",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/french-far-rights-bardella-denies-reports-he-made-antisemitic-comments",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-28T15:57:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/french-far-rights-bardella-refutes-reports-of-past-antisemitic-comments/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Paris — Jordan Bardella, the head of France's far-right National Rally, vehemently rejected allegations from investigative news organization Mediapart that he had disseminated antisemitic remarks during his teenage years as an activist. Bardella instructed his legal counsel to pursue all appropriate actions against Mediapart for disseminating what the 31-year-old Member of the European Parliament labeled \"blatant falsehoods.\" Mediapart claimed to have obtained and independently confirmed correspondence wherein Bardella expressed views that the \"Jew must dominate other peoples, crush them, and rob them,\" along with another statement that \"all banks are held by the Jews.\" These remarks were purportedly made around 2013, when Bardella was 17 and had recently joined the National Rally. The party's presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen, who is projected to win the upcoming election, stated that at a time when the party's ideas had never been more popular, certain \"activist press\" was prepared to fabricate smears to disrupt the presidential campaign and tarnish Bardella's reputation. During a recent appearance at an industry event, Le Pen dismissed the Mediapart report as \"insanity.\" The National Rally's predecessor, the National Front, was partly established by individuals who collaborated with Nazi Germany. Bardella's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who previously led the party, faced multiple convictions for hate speech for downplaying the Holocaust. Marine Le Pen has been endeavoring to purge her party of extremist elements and counter allegations of antisemitism since ascending to the leadership position in 2011, including expelling her father from the party in 2015. In 2023, Bardella refuted that Jean-Marie Le Pen was an antisemite before retracting his statement a few days later.",
  "summary": "Mediapart published several comments it alleged the MEP made as a teenager and young activist.",
  "key_points": [
    "Jordan Bardella denies Mediapart's claims of antisemitic comments.",
    "Mediapart alleges Bardella expressed views of Jewish domination in 2013.",
    "Marine Le Pen dismisses Mediapart report as \"insanity\"."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}