Jordan Bardella, president of France’s National Rally, has denied allegations that he made antisemitic remarks in private messages between 2013 and 2015. Investigative website Mediapart published a report based on dozens of messages it said it had authenticated, including one claiming “all the banks are owned by Jews”. Bardella, 31, called the report an attempt to “kill my political career” and said he would take legal action for defamation. Marine Le Pen, the party’s presidential frontrunner, said she had “total confidence” in him. Bardella told party deputies they were witnessing “the beginnings of a total war” against the party ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Israeli Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli also backed Bardella. Context: Le Pen leads in polls for next April’s first round of the presidential election. The episode adds to scrutiny of the party’s past, which Le Pen has tried to detoxify for a decade. A defamation suit would put the authenticity of the messages before a court.