French investigative outlet Mediapart has published a second batch of evidence in its ongoing investigation into antisemitic messages allegedly sent by Jordan Bardella, the president of the National Rally (RN). The new material consists of screenshots from Messenger conversations dated 2013 and 2014, which the outlet says were authenticated through a data extraction provided by Meta and certified by a court bailiff.
Edwy Plenel, Mediapart's co-founder, announced the release on Twitter, explaining that the authenticity of the screenshots was established via Meta's official data request process. The investigation, conducted over several months, draws on dozens of written exchanges and interviews with 18 people. The Messenger conversations were handed over by two separate sources, both from Bardella's inner circle, who, according to Mediapart, have no connection to each other.
Bardella, who has consistently denied being the author of the messages since the first revelations, filed a defamation complaint against Mediapart after the initial investigation was published. He has dismissed the new material as "crude fakes" and accused the outlet of orchestrating a campaign to destabilise his presidential bid. On X (formerly Twitter), he wrote that the allegations are part of a broader operation against him.
The RN leader has received public support from several senior figures within the party, who have rallied behind him amid the controversy. The affair comes at a delicate time for Bardella, who is positioning himself as a mainstream political figure ahead of the next presidential election. The allegations threaten to undermine his efforts to shed the party's far-right image and appeal to a broader electorate.
Political fallout and broader context
The revelations have reignited debates about the RN's history and its current leadership. Bardella, who took over the party from Marine Le Pen, has sought to present a more moderate face, but critics argue that the messages, if proven authentic, would reveal a pattern of behaviour inconsistent with that image. The timing is particularly awkward, as France grapples with record public debt and rising borrowing costs, issues that Bardella has sought to make central to his campaign.
Mediapart's investigation has also drawn attention to the role of social media companies in preserving user data. The use of Meta's official data extraction process adds a layer of legal credibility to the evidence, though Bardella's legal team is expected to challenge the authenticity of the messages in court. The defamation case will likely hinge on forensic analysis of the metadata and the chain of custody of the evidence.
The affair has also become a political football, with President Emmanuel Macron's camp seizing on the allegations to attack Bardella. Earlier this year, Bardella hit back at Macron over antisemitism allegations, accusing the president of using the issue for electoral gain. The new revelations are likely to intensify that exchange.
For now, the French public is left to weigh the credibility of Mediapart's reporting against Bardella's denials. The outlet has a strong track record of investigative journalism, including the exposure of the Fillon affair in 2017, which derailed a presidential campaign. Whether this investigation will have a similar impact remains to be seen, but it has already added a volatile element to the political landscape.
As the legal process unfolds, the broader question of how European democracies handle allegations of extremism among political leaders remains pertinent. The case also underscores the challenges of verifying digital evidence in an era of deepfakes and manipulated content. For now, Bardella's political future hangs in the balance, with the next presidential election still several years away but the stakes already high.
