French far-right candidate launches campaign for EU elections while steering clear of confrontation

Just hours after French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech focusing on Europe, the head of the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party, Jordan Bardella, unveiled his campaign for the European elections. The 28-year-old, who is leading the polls, used the opportunity to criticize Macron’s involvement in the election campaign.

Bardella accused Macron of directly intervening in the electoral campaign, calling it a personal, symbolic, and political commitment. He warned that if Macron’s party were to lose the European election, the President would have to accept the consequences, hinting at the dissolution of the National Assembly.

During his speech at the party’s headquarters in Paris, Bardella outlined his agenda against what he perceives as a “bureaucratic” Europe and “mass immigration.” He also expressed his opposition to the accession of countries like Ukraine and Turkey to the EU.

However, Bardella’s speech was cut short after 20 minutes, and he abruptly left without taking any questions from journalists. His campaign manager, Alexandre Loubet, justified this decision by pointing out that Macron had also avoided answering questions from journalists.

This avoidance of confrontation is not new for Bardella, who has previously refused to participate in debates against his rivals. The RN party is currently facing scandals, with one of its candidates, Fabrice Leggeri, being accused of complicity in crimes against humanity for his involvement in the pushback of migrant boats in the Mediterranean. Additionally, the party’s German counterpart, the far-right AFD party, is embroiled in accusations of espionage and corruption.