During his campaign in the 2019 European elections, Bardella said that his generation's two political priorities are the migrant crisis and the environmental crisis, saying, "if humans are responsible for what seems to be climate change, our economic model depends on it." He also opposed French entry into new
free trade treaties. Bardella criticized the "punitive environmentalism" of the
Macron government, which he argued was "criminalizing French people." In May 2019, Bardella evoked but did not name the
Great Replacement conspiracy theory during a televised debate. On 12 November 2023, he took part in the
March for the Republic and Against Antisemitism in Paris in response to the
rise in antisemitism since the start of the
Gaza war.
Immigration Bardella, like his party, focuses on migration. He says that immigration could lead to the extinction of France, the French identity, French sovereignty, and "France's soul". He also believes that the
European Union further degrades these values, according to his demands at the EU's campaign meetings. It grants children of foreigners born and living in France
French citizenship. Bardella adheres to the
Great Replacement conspiracy theory.
Le Monde reported that he promotes this theory during his speeches to activists, "using every possible circumlocution to avoid calling it 'the Great Replacement,' as the term was banned by Marine Le Pen." He also wanted to "cut off social assistance to people living in France illegally."
Economy Jordan Bardella calls for an "economic program in favor of business and entrepreneurship" and criticizes France as "the European champion of taxes and duties." He thus calls for the abolition of the social solidarity contribution of companies, used to finance old-age insurance, and the contribution on the added value of companies (CVAE). Two taxes which, according to
Libération, mainly concern CAC 40 companies. He welcomes Emmanuel Macron's decision to reduce the corporate tax rate to 25%. He also supports the payment of the RSA conditional on 15 hours of compulsory activity, and returns, in June 2024, to the National Rally's promise to repeal the pension reform if it comes to power. According to Le Monde, Bardella's right-wing positioning on economic issues also corresponds to a division of roles with
Marine Le Pen, the latter targeting primarily the working classes and him the upper middle classes and retirees. Unlike Le Pen, Bardella also favours pro-business and
economic liberal policies, influenced by the economic agenda of Italian Prime Minister
Giorgia Meloni.
Environment His positions on environmental and ecological issues are characterized by a desire for political ideological division. A fervent defender of the car, he positions himself in favor of meat consumption and "in the fight against constraints in favor of the environment". The essayist Pierre Madelin affirms that the party he leads is showing opportunism in appropriating the climate issue and putting it at the service of identity and nationalist themes. He thus declares that "The best ally of ecology is the border" and launches alongside
Marine Le Pen's "Stop
wind turbines" campaign, the latter being considered by Jordan Bardella as a "tragedy for the environment". Bardella has stressed that environmental protection should not be left to the political
left, but talks about it as a form of
patriotism, stating that patriotism means the protection of the people and their environment. With that statement he associates the
climate crisis with the
anti-immigrant stance of the
RN, since he agrees with the left wing that the climate crisis will lead to an unstoppable global
mass refugee crisis. Bardella and the RN base their immigration positions on the pursuit of political and ideological divisions, which must be exploited. They want to take advantage of the gap between urban and rural, or peripheral, spaces and attitudes. Interviewed on 29 January 2024, he declared, regarding Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, "I expect him to renounce the
European Green Deal."
Social issues Bardella has expressed personal opposition to
same-sex marriage on the grounds that it will open the door to
surrogacy or
medically assisted reproduction. Nevertheless, he has accepted that "for the majority of France, marriage for all is now a given" and stated his support for a
citizens' initiative referendum on the topic in 2019. He has also said he will not campaign to abolish same-sex marriage as leader of the National Rally, arguing that debate on the matter is over and that France faces more pressing issues. Bardella also advocates "cutting social services for people who illegally arrived in France" and legalizing
cannabis for medical purposes.
Foreign policy According to
Le Monde, Bardella can "boast of having woven closer ties" with former Italian Minister for Internal Affairs
Matteo Salvini, whom he views as a role model. He is also believed to be close to
Marine Le Pen's adviser
Frédéric Chatillon, having at one point been in a relationship with his daughter. At the same time, Bardella has said he is close to Le Pen. In February 2023, Bardella applauded a speech by
Volodymyr Zelensky in the European Parliament. Regarding the
Russian invasion of Ukraine, Bardella expressed the belief that Putin is waging a wider war on the West and that "there is a war of interest and a war of influence between France and Russia that extends to Africa." He also declared that there can be no way out of the war "without the withdrawal of Russian troops and without the return to full sovereignty of Ukraine in the territories currently occupied by Russia". However, a spokesperson for Bardella later clarified to
Libération that this statement does not concern Crimea and the other territories controlled by pro-Russian secessionists since the
Donbass war. In September 2023,
La Tribune analyzed that Bardella's stance on Russia is more critical compared to that of
Marine Le Pen and that "Jordan Bardella is on the pro-American line of
Giorgia Meloni." In July 2024, in the
European Parliament, he voted against a resolution to aid Ukraine in the context of Russian invasion of Ukraine. Although Bardella supported providing ammunition and defensive equipment to Ukraine, he is opposed to sending French soldiers or long-range missiles to Ukraine, and opposes
Ukrainian membership in NATO. In March 2025, Bardella attended a
conference in
Israel aimed at combatting
antisemitism. This event was notable for its attendance of right-wing allies, which also led to some high-profile people set to attend from 'boycotting' the event in protest, including the UK's
Chief Rabbi. Bardella supports Israel in the
Gaza war and believes that the Hamas threat facing Israel is equivalent to the threat posed by radical
Islamists and terrorists to France. == Personal life ==