The China Mail - French far right says antisemitism claims part of 'total war' to derail presidency bid

"We are seeing the beginnings of a total war, an attempt to destabilise the presidential campaign," National Rally (RN) leader Bardella, flanked by Le Pen, told party deputies.

He denounced what he called a bid to "kill my political career", with the allegations published by the investigative website Mediapart, which he has denied.

Le Pen said she had "total confidence" in Bardella, 31, who is tipped to become prime minister if she wins the presidency after he made a meteoric rise through party ranks over the last decade.

Le Pen reaffirmed she had "total confidence" in her young lieutenant and vowed the RN would "counterattack" after the allegations.

She warned "our opponents will do absolutely anything -- including the most disgusting things -- to try to derail this momentum" ahead of the 2027 election for a successor to centrist President Emmanuel Macron.

A poll published Monday suggested that Le Pen would easily lead the first round of voting in the elections next year, and would defeat any challenger in the second round run-off to win the Elysee.

"Now, I think it's Mediapart that needs to be told to put on its Kevlar vest, because there will obviously be a response to the way they are behaving," she said.

Bardella, a savvy user of social media who projects a clean-cut image, has been a key player in Le Pen's project of "de-demonisation" to make the RN into an electable force.

Both have moved to rid the RN of the legacy of her father Jean-Marie Le Pen who founded and led the its predecessor party the National Front (FN) and repeatedly made antisemitic remarks.

Bardella made an unprecedented visit to Israel in 2025, the first by a French far-right leader, in a bid to demonstrate the RN's new credentials.

N.Wan--ThChM