Bardella: the European Union is “completely obsolete” and unable to solve key problems

Jordan Bardella, leader of the French party National Rally, member of the European Parliament, and likely candidate in France’s 2027 presidential election, has declared that the European Union is “completely obsolete” and in need of deep reform.

He made the statement in an interview with Politico.

According to Bardella, his party does not intend to pursue France’s exit from the EU, but aims to “change everything without destroying anything.” The politician insists that the current model of European integration has exhausted itself and is failing to meet the challenges of the modern world.

“For several years now — a whole decade — we have been witnessing across the world the return of everything that the European Union sought to deconstruct, dismantle, and even destroy: the nation, borders, the protection of national interests, the people in their full sovereignty. We see how all these grand concepts, which also relate to national pride, are once again becoming relevant in the leading powers operating within the context of globalization,” Bardella said.

The politician expressed concern that the pace of the EU’s development “no longer matches the pace of the world’s development.” According to him, many people around the world share the fear that “tomorrow Europe will cease to be Europe, and France will cease to be France.” In this regard, Bardella called for building a “new security architecture” in Europe.

“What the European Union embodies — globalization, powerful open markets, uncontrolled immigration, economic decline, and excessive regulation — is deeply obsolete. The European Union is completely obsolete and in its current form and scale is no longer capable of solving the fundamental problems our country will face,” he stressed.

On June 9, National Rally parliamentary group leader Marine Le Pen also stated that the EU needs to be reformed — under the leadership of right-wing forces.

In May, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul presented his own plan for large-scale reform of the European Union.