Le Pen's National Rally fires volunteer over racist remarks

The incident took place in Carcassonne, a city that the National Rally gained control of in March. In a statement, the city indicated the footage dated from 2025, prior to Mayor Christophe Barthès taking office, and that Barthès unequivocally condemned the remarks. The city stated that proceedings would be initiated, with sanctions commensurate with the severity of the actions.

The National Rally confirmed in its own statement that the volunteer was "immediately removed" and "expelled" from the party upon the leadership's awareness of the video. The prosecutor’s office in Carcassonne has initiated an investigation based on the footage.

However, critics of the party argued that the incident underscores the National Rally's persistent struggle to distance itself from its historical roots, which include associations with racism, xenophobia, and antisemitism. Marine Le Pen's father, who founded the party (then known as the National Front), had a history of convictions for hate speech. Marine Le Pen expelled her father from the party in 2015 as part of her efforts to rebrand its image. Despite enjoying significant support and polls indicating Le Pen as a frontrunner for the 2027 presidential election, her party frequently faces scrutiny over offensive statements made by its members.

Political figures from opposing parties reacted strongly. Gabriel Attal, a candidate for President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, commented on X that the incident reflected what France would look like under National Rally leadership. Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist Party, also used X to urge voters not to entrust the National Rally with leadership.