Far-right French party leader threatens tough approach against immigrants, mosques

The leader of the right-wing National Rally party in France, Jordan Bardella, revealed his future policies aimed at taking a strict approach towards immigrants and what he described as “Islamist ideologies”. Bardella’s remarks come in light of the upcoming legislative elections that President Emmanuel Macron called for in the wake of the far-right’s advance in the European Parliament elections.

Bardella affirmed in an interview with the Financial Times that his party is seeking to pass a draft law: “That states as its aim to combat Islamist ideologies. It includes measures to make it easier to close mosques and deport imams deemed to be radicalised.”

He added that the draft law would also include: “A ban on clothing that constitute in themselves an unequivocal and ostentatious affirmation of Islamist ideology.” He said this would consist of various types of veils and the so-called “burkini”, or head-to-toe swimwear.

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 “The veil is not desirable in French society,” Bardella said: “The battle is in part legislative, but is also a cultural battle that needs to be pursued.”

The party leader pointed out that his party will maintain its strict stance on the presence of immigrants in France, confirming that his party: “Aimed in the coming years to overhaul the French Constitution via a referendum to establish a ‘national preference’ for citizens over foreigners for social housing and other welfare benefits.”

“I intend to take back control of immigration in our country,” he asserted.

Bardella’s statements come as the date of the legislative elections approaches, the first round of which is scheduled for 30 June, with the second round on 7 July. The far-right National Rally may top voter opinion polls after achieving a victory in the European Parliament elections, receiving more than 30 per cent of the votes.

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