Has France's far-right National Rally really turned on Russia?

Sarah Elzas with RFI

26 June 2024 at 2:24 am·1-min read

France's far-right, anti-immigration National Rally has hardened its stance against Russia in order to win over voters ahead of snap parliamentary elections. But there are concerns about the party’s true motivations on foreign policy and what would happen if the RN wins enough votes to run the government.

Russia is a “multi-dimensional threat both for France and for Europe”, RN president Jordan Bardella said on Monday in an attempt to clarify what has been a muddy relationship.

If the RN wins enough seats in the National Assembly in the 30 June and 7 July elections, Bardella could become prime minister, which would put him in charge of administering the army and approving budgets.

He would, however, share his foreign policy responsibilities with the president, who remains the head of the army and responsible for naming ambassadors and ratifying treaties.

'Intransigent'

Presenting the RN's policy lines, Bardella said that as prime minister he would be respectful of the president’s role, though “intransigent” on his party's policies, which he said he would have the democratic backing to carry out.

The nationalist RN has pushed for more independent French foreign policy. It has moved away from being overtly eurosceptic and instead would like to see a reform of the EU. Until last week, the party had vowed to leave NATO's integrated military command.

The RN’s policy platform published online Monday focuses on immigration, insisting on the need to protect France from the a “migratory submersion”.

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'Intransigent'

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