PARIS — Marine Le Pen’s National Rally is under scrutiny once again amid claims that nine of its lawmakers participated in a Facebook group filled with discriminatory content. This revelation has reignited discussions about the party’s stance on racism and extremism.
Allegations of hateful content
A report from the online publication Les Jours has brought to light that these MPs were members of a group titled “France with [National Rally President] Jordan Bardella.” The group reportedly contained numerous posts with “antisemitic, homophobic, Islamophobic, and racist remarks.” Furthermore, Les Jours indicated that the group was administered by parliamentary aides, former National Rally candidates, and local party officials.
As of Thursday, the Facebook group, which allegedly boasted over 11,000 members, has vanished from the platform.
Party’s defense and current investigations
Representatives from the National Rally have refuted the claims, asserting that the lawmakers were unaware of the group’s nature. Party Vice President Sébastien Chenu commented on FranceInfo, stating, “When you receive an invitation to France with Jordan Bardella and you’re a National Rally activist, you often think that it might be a nice group, and you don’t necessarily look at the content.” He also emphasized, “None of the MPs liked the publications.”
Chenu also addressed the recent murder of a 46-year-old Tunisian man in southern France, a case currently being examined as a potentially racially motivated act of terrorism. The suspect, a 1971-born French national, shared videos on social media before and after the incident, which raised concerns given his posts that referenced Le Pen and other party figures, along with various comments on immigration and Islam.
“I want to condemn this abominable murder,” Chenu said Thursday. “Our cause is not based on racial opposition … This person misunderstood what they thought they were defending.”