National Rally Condemns Police Raids as Political Persecution

Party leaders, including president Jordan Bardella, denounce the police actions as an infringement on democratic rights while facing legal challenges related to funding irregularities during past election campaigns.

France's far-right National Rally (RN) party has expressed outrage following police raids conducted at its headquarters in relation to an ongoing inquiry into campaign finances. Party president Jordan Bardella labeled the operation a "spectacular and unprecedented" act of aggression, asserting it represents a "serious attack on pluralism and democratic change." The raids were aimed at investigating allegations of fraud tied to loans and donations related to the party's election campaigns in 2022 and 2024.

Former party treasurer Wallerand de Saint-Just spoke on behalf of the RN, stating that the party had not committed any wrongdoing and characterized the situation as "unacceptable and outrageous." He claimed that all campaign accounts have been properly approved and reimbursed, portraying the situation as systematic persecution of their political struggle.

Despite previous legal hurdles, the RN maintains a strong presence in French public opinion polls, with Bardella emerging as the most favored political figure in recent surveys. Earlier this year, Marine Le Pen, the party's prominent leader, was found guilty of involvement in the embezzlement of EU funds, resulting in a five-year disqualification from holding public office. She has labeled the judgment a "witch hunt" while preparing for the possibility of transferring leadership to Bardella for the upcoming 2027 presidential election.

While Bardella was attending a European Parliament session during the police raids, he accused law enforcement of using the operation to seize internal documents and invade his office. The inquiries were connected to allegations of embezzlement, forgery, and fraud related to the National Rally’s campaigns. Prosecutors intend to determine if the party or its candidates received illicit payments, alongside investigating claims of inflated invoices submitted as campaign expenditures for state reimbursement.

The party contended that the allegations were linked to past funding challenges, highlighting their reliance on loans from institutions in Russia and Hungary due to the unwillingness of French banks to support them. As the party faces renewed scrutiny, the European Union public prosecutor's office has also launched a separate investigation into a former political group that RN was affiliated with, suspecting misuse of Parliament funding.

Bardella condemned the inquiry as a continuation of a "harassment operation" orchestrated by European Parliament authorities. As the RN grapples with these accusations, its leaders remain resolute in framing the situation as politically motivated, raising concerns over the implications for the party and France's democratic integrity.