Nigel Farage has met Jordan Bardella, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally party this week.
The Reform leader met the controversial figure to discuss small boat crossings and energy policy, particularly nuclear energy.
Nigel Farage has previously maintained some distance from National Rally (RN), the successor to the National Front (FN), formerly headed by Marine Le Pen.
Le Pen received a five-year ban from holding public office in March following a conviction related to misuse of EU funds, preventing her from contesting the 2027 presidential election. She has rejected the ruling as a “political decision” and intends to appeal, with a further court decision expected next year.
During his time leading Ukip, Farage chose not to align the party with the FN in the European Parliament.
However, in a 2017 article, he expressed support for Le Pen’s presidential bid, commending her efforts to reshape the party and arguing that under her leadership since 2011 it had focused on “sovereignty, not race”.
After the 2019 European Parliament elections, his Brexit Party did not rule out joining the same parliamentary group as the renamed RN, though it ultimately opted not to do so before its MEPs left the Parliament following Brexit in 2020.
Farage later criticised RN’s more interventionist economic proposals, saying last year that such policies would be a “disaster” for France.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Bardella paid tribute to Farage.
“Even though Britain is no longer in the European Union today, I consider [Farage] a great patriot who has always defended the interests of Britain and the British people,” he says as the Eurostar pulls out of Paris Gare du Nord towards London, a capital he has only visited twice previously – the first time aged six on a surprise trip organised by his father.
“I remember Big Ben,” says the RN leader in much-improved English (he has been having intensive lessons since our last meeting two years ago).
“I think that Farage will be the next prime minister,” he says, reverting to French. “He was a pioneer. I have a lot of respect for him, because he was a pioneer who fought for the freedom and independence of his country.”