Bardella denies antisemitic chats and Facebook deletion claims as RN backs him
Mediapart alleges National Rally president Jordan Bardella wrote antisemitic messages as a teenager; Le Canard enchaîné says he then deleted Facebook data. He denies both and plans defamation suits.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Investigative outlet Mediapart published purported antisemitic and conspiratorial chat messages that it says Jordan Bardella, president of France's far-right National Rally (RN), wrote as a teenager in 2013; Bardella denies the allegations. France 24N “Mediapart first published its bombshell allegations last week, claiming that Bardella wrote, among other comments, in a chat” Read at France 24 ↗ The Straits TimesRC “Bardella has denied the allegations by investigative outlet Mediapart, which published purported antisemitic and conspiratorial comments he made in chats as a teenager” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Centre · 1One quoted message reads: "The Jew has to dominate other peoples, crush them, and rob them; a Zionist is necessarily a Jew, and fundamentally so." Mediapart later posted screenshots of messages allegedly written on Facebook Messenger. France 24N “The investigative outlet later posted screenshots of the messages Bardella allegedly wrote on Facebook Messenger.” Read at France 24 ↗ Centre · 1On Friday 9 October, Le Canard enchaîné reported that all data from a Facebook account Bardella used in his early years as a Front National activist was deleted between 28 September and 2 October, right after Mediapart's first articles. It said it had obtained extracts of private conversations proving this. France 24N “"all the data" from an account Bardella used in his early years as an activist with the Front National (the former name of the RN) "was deleted between 28 September and 2 October"” Read at France 24 ↗
Centre · 1Mediapart also claimed to have found similarities between messages on Bardella's personal Facebook account and posts on his official X account. This could undermine his earlier statement that he had "no Facebook account" and had not used the platform for a very long time. France 24N “days after he claimed he had "no Facebook account" and that he had "not used" the social media platform "for a very long time"” Read at France 24 ↗ Mixed · 2Bardella's entourage said he had "never logged into any Facebook account nor deleted any messages" and that a defamation complaint would be filed. Bardella has called the messages "crude fakes", accused opponents of waging "total war" on the RN, and vowed to sue Mediapart. France 24N “Bardella's entourage said he had "never logged into any Facebook account nor deleted any messages"” Read at France 24 ↗ The Straits TimesRC “calling them "crude fakes" and saying he would file defamation lawsuits” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2Marine Le Pen, the RN's presidential candidate, has said she has "complete confidence" in Bardella. Her aide Renaud Labaye told Reuters the affair has "absolutely no impact on the ground". France 24N “telling the media she has "complete confidence" in Bardella” Read at France 24 ↗ The Straits TimesRC “"I think it has absolutely no impact on the ground whatsoever," Le Pen aide Renaud Labaye told Reuters.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Right · 1Reuters reports that in 2024 Bardella withdrew support from candidate Joseph Martin over a seemingly antisemitic post, though the RN later accepted the post was not antisemitic. Martin now says Bardella should step aside while the claims are investigated. The Straits TimesRC “It was RN president Jordan Bardella who initially withdrew support for Martin's candidacy”“Martin said the RN chief should be held to the same standard and step aside while the claims are investigated.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1An IFOP poll for LCI found 74% of French people think the messages are problematic if true, but only 21% say their opinion of Bardella has worsened. Analyst Gilles Ivaldi said the damage is more likely among second-round voters than the RN's core base. The Straits TimesRC “Some 74% of the French believe the messages are problematic if true, according to an IFOP poll for LCI TV, but only 21% say their opinion of Bardella has deteriorated.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1Reuters also describes friction between Bardella and Le Pen since a July appeals court ruling cleared her to run. Eric Zemmour said Bardella is being marginalised within the RN. The Straits TimesRC “party officials said frictions have since grown”“"Jordan Bardella is in the process of being marginalized from the heart of the RN,"” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Breaking-news report on the new cover-up allegation, with denials alongside.
- Emphasis
- The Facebook deletion claim and the contradiction with Bardella's 'no Facebook account' statement.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Little on wider polling or party tensions.
- Charged language
- “bombshell allegations”“all-out attack”
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Reuters analysis, carried by the Straits Times, on what the scandal means for the RN's image and Le Pen–Bardella relations.
- Emphasis
- Double standard in the Martin case, polling, analysts and internal frictions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Le Canard enchaîné deletion claim.
- Charged language
- “toxic past”“gravest threat yet”
- For example
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“the scandal represents the gravest threat yet to the 31-year-old's rapid political ascent” — The Straits Times
“the party tried to convince voters it had shed its toxic past” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Mediapart alleges Bardella wrote antisemitic messages as a teenager, and Bardella denies it.
- Bardella plans defamation action.
- Marine Le Pen has backed Bardella.
Where accounts differ
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Whether Bardella deleted Facebook data
- Centre
- France 24 relays Le Canard enchaîné's claim that the data was deleted between 28 September and 2 October, and the denial from Bardella's entourage.
- Right
- The Reuters copy carried by the Straits Times does not mention the deletion claim.
Jordan Bardella person
Denies the allegations, calls the messages fakes, and says he will sue Mediapart.
“calling them "crude fakes" and saying he would file defamation lawsuits” — The Straits Times
Marine Le Pen person
Backs Bardella, saying she has complete confidence in him.
“telling the media she has "complete confidence" in Bardella” — France 24
National Rally party
Closes ranks around Bardella, denies the claims and downplays their impact.
“The RN has rallied to Bardella's defence, while also playing down the scandal.” — The Straits Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Le Pen's top ally Bardella faces fresh claims he sought to cover up past anti-Semitic comments
Neutral Reports the deletion claim and Mediapart's new findings, giving the denials.
Right1 article
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The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Bardella antisemitism dispute tests French far right's decade-long makeover
Neutral Reuters analysis of the scandal's effect on the RN's image and on Le Pen and Bardella.
- 9 Oct 16:53 First France 24N Le Pen's top ally Bardella faces fresh claims he sought to cover up past anti-Semitic comments
- 12 Oct 11:10 +66h 17m The Straits TimesRC Bardella antisemitism dispute tests French far right's decade-long makeover via Reuters
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.