Bardella says police raided contractors who worked for him
French far-right leader Jordan Bardella claims police raided contractors who worked for him, linked to a financial probe into the Identity and Democracy group. His presidential run depends on Marine Le Pen's appeal.
Jordan Bardella, the leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN), has said that police raided contractors who had worked for him. The raids are connected to allegations of financial wrongdoing against the Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament, as first reported by French daily Le Monde. Bardella and the party have not yet issued official comments.
Bardella, aged 30, is currently leading opinion polls for next year's French presidential election. His candidacy hinges on whether Marine Le Pen, the party's former leader, can successfully appeal her conviction for embezzling European Parliament funds and a five-year ban from running for office. The verdict in her appeal is expected on Tuesday.
This is not the first time the National Rally has faced raids tied to judicial investigations. Last summer, the party's Paris headquarters were searched in a separate case concerning alleged electoral law violations, which the party has denied. That case is still ongoing.
