Marine Le-Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally, has pledged to sanction candidates and members of her party who make “inadmissible comments.” However, she has stressed the importance of differentiating them from those who have simply made “gross mistakes” in their statements. Several candidates from the French far right have been at the center of controversy for racist and xenophobic statements that have led Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, to acknowledge that there may be “black sheep” in the party and he has not hesitated to expel them and withdraw his candidacy for the second round of legislative elections. In this case, Le Pen has alluded to the statements of Paule Veyre de Soras, a candidate for the third constituency of Mayenne who said that in the National Rally there are “Jews, Muslims and Spaniards,” and with an attempt to deny being racist said that she herself went to a “Jewish ophthalmologist and a Muslim dentist.”
In an interview with BMFTV, Le Pen acknowledged that certain comments were unacceptable and would lead to sanctions but also emphasized that some were clumsy. She blamed certain media outlets for bringing compromising statements by some National Rally candidates to light. Bardella had already acknowledged on Wednesday that there may be “black sheep” among the candidates for the National Group, responding to the controversy sparked by a photograph of a candidate wearing a Luftwaffe cap on social media.
Le Pen’s party has faced several controversies in recent weeks after statements or compromising situations involving some of its candidates linked to xenophobic or racist attitudes came to light. The controversy over Veyre de Soras’s comments highlights how difficult it can be for political leaders like Le Pen to control their party’s message and ensure that all members adhere to their policies. It also underscores how important it is for political parties to take responsibility for any misstatements or actions made by their members.
