Jordan Bardella only talks about Emmanuel Macron in his campaign

The two heads of the list, Jordan Bardella and Valérie Hayer, took part in a televised debate lasting more than two hours on Thursday evening. Few European subjects were discussed, because the RN candidate mainly took the opportunity to attack the policies of President Macron.

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Jordan Bardella, head of the National Rally list, during the debate for the European elections with Valérie Hayer, head of the Renaissance list, May 2, 2024. (OLIVIER CORSAN / MAXPPP)

Leading in the voting intention polls, Jordan Bardella wants to make the European elections a national test. To this end, the far-right candidate has a strategy: talk as little as possible about Europe and as much as possible about Emmanuel Macron. He also tried to perpetuate it on the evening of Thursday, May 3, throughout the debate between him on BFM-TV and his majority opponent, Valérie Hayer.

This was obviously not easy, since Valérie Hayer worked to bring him back to European issues. So, in response, Jordan Bardella painted a France in the grip of chaos, “wildness”to the “migratory submergence” and recited a litany of punchlines, calling in every tone to “sanction” at a time “Macron’s policy”, “Macron’s record”, “Macron’s Europe” etc. So many ways to avoid talking about Europe.

The RN and Europe, vague proposals

One might wonder why he is so keen to avoid the subject. After 5 years of mandate as a European deputy, he presented a famished personal report in Strasbourg, where he was especially conspicuous by his absence. Then because the votes of Lepenist elected representatives in the European Parliament are often contrary to the party’s positions. They have therefore systematically opposed the strengthening of the resources of Frontex, the European border protection agency. As the RN has just voted against the Asylum and Migration Pact, although approved, in particular, by the President of the Italian Council Giorgia Meloni. In fact, over time, the European RN project has become very vague.

Jordan Bardella defends what he calls a “Europe of Nations”. According to him, this requires taking control of the borders, but without leaving the Schengen area of ​​free movement of people. A sort of “à la carte Europe”, where France could deviate from common rules, and first of all in matters of migration. But there is no longer any question of leaving the European Union and the euro. In 2016, Marine Le Pen applauded the British vote in favor of Brexit. Eight years later, the United Kingdom is paying for its failure and the RN has officially changed its mind, in an attempt to reassure public opinion and in particular its new electoral target, retirees.

Basically, on Europe, the far-right party has become the party of “at the same time”. At the same time very “against” and a little “for”, at the same time outside and a little inside, in short, the party of vagueness, and when it’s vague, there is often a wolf.


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