Jordan Bardella, the leader of the Rassemblement National (RN), is presenting himself as a serious foreign policy figure and is seeking to align with Friedrich Merz (CDU). With the French presidential elections approaching in a year, Bardella aims to portray himself as a responsible actor to the domestic audience. He regards Merz as a “friend” and is attempting to reassure the French people, even as the idea of a Frexit remains popular within his party.
Bardella’s strategy mirrors that of Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, who sent similar signals to Europe before her election in 2022. Bardella has announced that the EU flag will no longer adorn the Élysée Palace should he become president. This announcement has raised concerns that he could isolate France within the EU with a “France first” strategy.
In a further step, Bardella emphasized that the positions of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) regarding history are “incompatible” with those of his party. This statement follows a rift two years ago when an AfD politician downplayed the SS. Bardella is trying to distance himself from the AfD while simultaneously avoiding discussion of his own party’s history.
However, Bardella’s attempts to ingratiate himself should not obscure the fact that his party’s positions on European policy are far from those of the CDU. Concrete plans to reduce the French budget deficit and debt burden under his leadership are not evident. Bardella aims to prioritize national law over European law, which calls into question the adherence to European rules.
