Jordan Bardella, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, has said he largely agrees with the concerns about Europe expressed in the US National Security Strategy, the BBC reports.
The White House released the new National Security Strategy in early December, which reflects President Donald Trump’s view of global issues and the situation in Europe, and many believe that Europe has been unfairly criticized.
Speaking on the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, Bardella praised Trump’s vision of “American pride,” but made it clear that he did not want Europe to serve any great power. He said that a spirit of freedom and national pride was being felt across Western democracies.
In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC, the 30-year-old politician, who is widely seen as a strong front-runner in the French presidential election, was also asked about the political history of the National Rally (RN) and its stance on immigration. Bardella said he shared most of the concerns expressed by the Trump administration about the potential “collapse of civilization” in Europe. He said mass immigration and the lax approach of French governments over the past 30 years were shaking the foundations of European countries and Western society.
A snap election in June 2024 made the RN the largest party in the French parliament, but a coalition with left-wing parties was formed. The next French presidential election is due in 2027, and
a recent poll by Le Figaro suggested Bardella could win 44% of the vote.
He is slightly ahead of the party’s most visible figure, Marine Le Pen, whose candidacy is in doubt – she was found guilty of embezzling EU funds and is banned from running for the next five years. Le Pen’s appeal will be heard in early 2026, and the outcome will determine whether she can run for president.
Bardella dismissed suggestions that the situation had caused tension between the two, saying he and Le Pen were bound by trust and friendship. He said he would fight on Le Pen’s side to ensure she won the appeals court.
The RN was founded in 1972 by Le Pen’s father. He was convicted several times for Holocaust denial and was known for his extremist views on race. Like many other RN politicians in recent years, Bardella has distanced himself from Le Pen’s father’s views. Asked about the party’s racist and anti-Semitic history, Bardella rejected accusations that the party had ever used arguments that could offend any section of the French population.
Bardella’s party is known for its hardline stance against immigration
and has long sought to enforce stricter immigration laws, including cutting social benefits. The politician said that if he came to power, France would no longer be a destination for mass migration, and his first order of business would be to call a referendum on migration. He added that this would allow France to regain control of its borders.
However, French law stipulates that referendums can only be held on certain issues, and migration is not one of them, so amendments to the country’s constitution would first be necessary. To achieve this, the RN would need to win the presidency and also win an absolute majority in parliament – or gain enough allies.
Bardella, who grew up near Paris and whose parents are immigrants, drew a clear line between those who were born in France but reject the country’s values and order, and those who do everything to become French – learning the language, culture and values of the country. Asked what it means to be French if being born in the country is not enough, Bardella said that being French is an honor that goes beyond bureaucracy.
The politician stressed that he defends secularism and believes that Islam has now become a political project
that wants to impose its rules on French society.
The young politician’s position on Ukraine also differs from the current, central government’s view. Although Bardella pointed out that Russia poses multiple threats to French and European interests, and that Kiev also needs security guarantees in the event of a peace agreement, he ruled out the possibility of sending French soldiers to Ukraine. The current government in power has proposed deploying its forces in Ukraine, albeit far from the front lines. Bardella believes that such a decision will contribute to the escalation of the situation, especially considering that France has nuclear weapons and Putin has intentions whose scope is unclear.
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