News
Politics
The National Rally president is meeting with leaders of the nationalist Law and Justice party.
Copy Link
Copied
Share via email
Share on X
Share on WhatsApp
Share on LinkedIn
Jordan Bardella makes a tour with Poland's ultranationalist Confederation party (Konfederacja) president Krzysztof Bosak at the Sejm, Poland's lower house of parliament, in Warsaw, Poland on June 18, 2026. | Wojtek Radwanski/ AFP via Getty Images
June 19, 2026
4:00 am CET
WARSAW — Jordan Bardella is shopping for allies.
As he prepares for a potential run for the French presidency next year, the leader of the far-right National Rally used a trip to Poland this week to court nationalist and conservative partners to join him in trying to shape the EU to his liking.
“This visit is a key step in a series of European trips,” Bardella said during a press conference at the Polish parliament Thursday. He said he had had a “very fruitful” meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, with whom he “discussed a number of topics and exchanged views on the current direction of Europe.”
Nawrocki is embroiled in a bitter battle with pro-EU Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who holds a more powerful post. They are gearing up for next year’s crucial parliamentary election, where the nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS) hopes to return to power, possibly in coalition with other right-wing parties.
In an exclusive interview ahead of the trip, Bardella told POLITICO he was meeting PiS leaders to “prepare for the Europe of tomorrow.”
Bardella’s trip comes after the National Rally lost its most high-profile ally in the EU, when former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was defeated at the polls earlier this year. Bardella is now looking to forge new ties with other right-wing leaders, including Nawrocki and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — while his mentor Marine Le Pen is consoling Orbán in Brussels.
Relations between the National Rally and PiS have historically been complicated. While the Poles are hardliners when it comes to Russia, the French far right has, in the past, been friendly with the Kremlin.
Bardella was careful on the trip not to neglect his official Polish ally, the smaller Confederation Freedom and Independence party, which sits with the National Rally in the European Parliament. The French far-right politician stood alongside the party’s leader, Krzysztof Bosak, during a memorial ceremony Thursday morning at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw.
Jordan Bardella, Krzysztof Bosak nd member of the European Parliament and Konfederacja’s vice president Anna Brylka pay their respect during a flower-laying ceremony at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Marshal Jozef Pilsudski Square in Warsaw, Poland on June 18, 2026. | Wojtek Radwanski/ AFP via Getty Images
Still, he made clear ahead of the trip that he was looking for other partners.
“Our ambition is to think big and to build a new European architecture capable of addressing the major challenges of the 21st century — and we will certainly need the largest group possible,” he told POLITICO in the interview.
Bardella will find out if he is his party’s presidential candidate on July 7, when a French appeals court decides whether to uphold his mentor Marine Le Pen’s convictions for embezzlement and the five-year election ban that comes with it. Polls have him winning the election’s first round, and early polls also show him beating other contenders in the runoff, though only narrowly against centrist candidates.
‘Common challenges’
For years, PiS held the National Rally in contempt for its closeness to Russia — a serious liability in a country still scarred by Soviet domination and deeply mistrustful of anybody cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We have as much in common with Ms. Le Pen as with Mr. Putin,” the party’s leader Jarosław Kaczyński quipped in 2017.
Relations warmed up under former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who hosted Le Pen for dinner in Warsaw in 2021, and Bardella himself has made a point of distancing himself from pro-Kremlin figures in his party. He is expected to meet with Kaczyński and other party figures on Friday.
“Poland and France share many common challenges, as well as numerous opportunities for cooperation,” Nawrocki’s chief of staff, Paweł Szefernaker, posted on X after the Polish president met with Bardella. “It was a very good conversation about the future of Europe, security, and the role of sovereign states in the European community.”
Bardella has been navigating a delicate balancing act over the past few months, trying to build bridges with right-wing and conservative groups without reneging on his radical EU agenda .
Jordan Bardella, takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes in Warsaw, Poland on June 18, 2026. | Wojtek Radwanski AFP via Getty Images
He recently said that he sees “common ground” with Germany’s conservative Chancellor Friedrich Me…
Read the full article at Politico Europe →📄Source document: Jordan Bardella's Press Conference at the Polish Parliament
4 reports
Politico EuropeIndependentCenter2 days agoFrance's far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella visited Poland to meet with leaders of the nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS) and other right-wing groups. The visit comes as Bardella considers running for the French presidency and seeks alliances to influence the EU. During a press conference at the Polish parliament, Bardella described the meetings as 'fruitful' and discussed various topics with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. Nawrocki is currently involved in a political struggle with pro-EU Prime Minister Donald Tusk ahead of next year's parliamentary elections.
Bias read (Center): The article presents facts without overtly biased language or framing. It reports on Bardella's diplomatic efforts and political context neutrally, without emphasizing one side over another. The tone remains objective, focusing on the actions and statements of the individuals involved rather than评判或
Official sources cited
- press release Jordan Bardella's Press Conference at the Polish Parliament
- government Polish President Karol Nawrocki
Politico EuropeIndependentCenter5 days ago Germany urges swift EU budget deal after Jordan Bardella commentsGermany has called for a rapid resolution to the EU budget negotiations following remarks made by Jordan Bardella, the leader of France's National Rally party. During an interview with POLITICO, Bardella expressed opposition to the EU's long-term budget and suggested reducing France's contributions. In response, Germany's Europe Minister Gunther Krichbaum emphasized the urgency of reaching a compromise by the end of the year, warning that Bardella's stance reflects separatist ambitions. ECB President Christine Lagarde also criticized Bardella's comments, highlighting concerns over potential 'F
Bias read (Center): The article presents statements from multiple political figures without overtly favoring any side. It includes quotes from both German officials expressing concern over Bardella's comments and Bardella himself defending his position. The framing remains neutral, focusing on the exchange of views and
Politico EuropeIndependentRight6 days ago UE, Otan, Ukraine : Bardella parle à POLITICOJordan Bardella, president of France's National Rally (RN), discusses with POLITICO his stance on international issues, including the European Union, NATO, and Ukraine. He clarifies that he has not abandoned his goal of changing the EU's functioning, despite the abandonment of the Frexit project seven years ago. Bardella also explains why he does not intend to visit Ukraine.
Bias read (Right): The article focuses on Jordan Bardella, a far-right politician, discussing his views on the EU, NATO, and Ukraine. The framing emphasizes Bardella's continued commitment to challenging the EU's structure, which aligns with right-wing nationalist rhetoric. The article does not present counterpoints,
Politico EuropeIndependentRight6 days ago An Italian princess and EU budgets: 5 takeaways from POLITICO’s Jordan Bardella interviewThe article discusses an exclusive interview with Jordan Bardella, leader of France's National Rally, where he expressed intentions to reduce France's contribution to the EU budget. It also covers Bardella's criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump's behavior and mentions a 'remigration summit' attended by figures associated with far-right groups.
Bias read (Right): The article focuses on Jordan Bardella, a prominent figure from France's far-right National Rally party, highlighting his positions on reducing France's EU budget contributions and criticizing Trump's leadership. The framing emphasizes far-right perspectives without balancing them with opposing or主流
BE