Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s National Rally party, canceled his planned speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Friday after former Trump advisor Steve Bannon made what Bardella described as a “gesture alluding to Nazi ideology” during the event.
Bardella, who was in Washington for the conference, said he was not present when Bannon made the controversial gesture Thursday night, which some observers characterized as resembling a Nazi salute.
“I had been invited to make a speech on the links between the United States and France, as well as the recent electoral dynamic of patriot parties in Europe,” Bardella said in a statement. “I therefore took the immediate decision to cancel my speech that had been scheduled this afternoon.”
The 28-year-old Bardella has led the National Rally since 2022 when he succeeded Marine Le Pen, who remains the party’s parliamentary leader and likely 2027 presidential candidate. Le Pen has worked to distance the party from its controversial roots since taking over from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 2011.
Despite rebranding efforts, the National Rally has faced ongoing controversies. Several party candidates withdrew from last year’s snap legislative elections after racist and anti-Semitic social media posts surfaced, including one instance involving a candidate photographed wearing a Nazi cap with a swastika.
The party nonetheless achieved record gains in those elections, which were called after President Emmanuel Macron dissolved parliament following National Rally’s strong showing in European elections.
Bardella, a member of the European Parliament, has been central to the party’s efforts to appeal to younger voters and broaden its electoral base.
Tags: European politics, far-right movements, CPAC, international conservatism, US-France relations, political controversy, National Rally, Marine Le Pen, Steve Bannon, extremism.
