The National Rally, led by far-right leader Marine Le-Pen, has pledged to sanction party members and candidates who make “inadmissible comments.” According to Le-Pen, it is crucial to distinguish between those who have made “gross mistakes” and those whose statements were merely “clumsy.” Several French far-right candidates have been embroiled in controversy due to racist and xenophobic remarks.
In response to these incidents, Jordan Bardella, the president of the National Rally, acknowledged that there may be “black sheep” within the party and expelled several candidates for their problematic comments. One such incident involved Paule Veyre de Soras, a candidate for the third constituency of Mayenne, who made statements suggesting that the National Rally was comprised of Jews, Muslims, and Spaniards.
Le-Pen recognized that while Veyre de Soras’ approach was clumsy, it did not prove racism. She stated in an interview that there are unacceptable comments that will result in sanctions but also acknowledged that some statements may be merely clumsy.
Le-Pen also criticized certain media outlets for acting as “grand inquisitors,” bringing attention to compromising statements by National Rally candidates. Bardella had already acknowledged the presence of “black sheep” among the candidates and acted swiftly when necessary. Despite recent controversies involving xenophobic or racist attitudes among its candidates, both Le-Pen and Bardella have addressed the issue openly.