Jordan Bardella, the leader and presidential front-runner of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party, stated that "the European Union is completely obsolete" in its current form because it is no longer capable of addressing major modern challenges.

 

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‘The EU is completely obsolete’: France’s far-right leader wants to shake up Europe

Jordan Bardella, the leader and presidential front-runner of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party, stated that "the European Union is completely obsolete" in its current form because it is no longer capable of addressing major modern challenges. Despite this harsh criticism, Bardella explicitly clarified in an interview published by POLITICO Europe that the party does not intend to pursue a "Frexit" or leave the bloc. Instead, he aims to aggressively dismantle the EU's federalist structure from within. 

The key takeaways from Bardella's vision to alter the European geopolitical landscape include:

Changing From Within

• Rejection of Frexit: Bardella stated that the RN does not wish to leave the European Union, framing their strategy as wanting to "change everything without destroying anything". 
• Intergovernmental Model: He advocates transforming the EU into a loose alliance of sovereign nations, emphasizing that concepts like national pride, borders, and national interest are making a global comeback. 
• Slash EU Budget Contribution: As a primary point of leverage, Bardella announced intentions to seek to halve France's financial contribution to the EU budget. 

Strategic Alliances

• Partnership with Meloni: He views Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as an "indispensable partner".
• Courting the Polish Right: Bardella traveled to Poland to coordinate the "Europe of tomorrow" with leaders of the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, targeting strict border protection and regional rearmament.
• Reaching Across the Aisle: He has proactively sought common ground with center-right German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 

Defense & Geopolitics

• NATO Stance: Bardella wants France to exit NATO’s integrated military command to regain diplomatic and military independence, though he noted this would not happen while the war is at Europe's doorstep. 
• Distancing from Trump: Despite sharing populist themes, Bardella explicitly rejected backing from U.S. President Donald Trump, criticizing what he termed Washington's imperial ambitions.