The leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN) Jordan Bardella has welcomed for the most part concerns raised about Europe in US President Donald Trump's new National Security Strategy.
Last week, the White House published a document which outlined Trump's vision of the world and the state of the European continent, which many have characterised as harshly critical of Europe.
Speaking to the BBC's Nick Robinson for his Political Thinking podcast, Bardella praised Trump’s appeal to American pride but emphasized he did not want Europe to be subservient to any major power. He mentioned a wind of freedom, of national pride blowing all over Western democracies in his vision for Europe.
In the same interview, which explores his political perspectives and the RN's history, Bardella asserted that he largely shared Trump’s concerns about Europe facing civilisational erasure and criticized the lax immigration policies over the past 30 years.
With parliamentary elections coming up in June 2024 and the next French presidential election slated for 2027, Bardella is seen as a leading figure in the RN, particularly with Marine Le Pen's future candidacy uncertain.
He denounced the RN’s provocative history but noted that his party advocates for stringent immigration policies, claiming that France will not be a target of mass immigration under his leadership.
Bardella summarized his stance stating, If tomorrow I am the head of government, France will no longer be the target of mass immigration. He further proclaimed the urgency of a national recovery project, looking to unite the country under shared values and challenges.
