https://www.scmp.com/rss/524588/feed The latest news and top stories on Jordan Bardella, a prominent French politician. He has led the National Rally since 2022, having previously served as vice-president and party spokesman. As a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, he notably led the RN to victory in the 2019 and 2024 European elections. Bardella is recognised for his anti-immigration stance, focus on French sovereignty and effective use of social media to engage younger voters. His rapid ascent and role in rebranding... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Jean-Luc ⁠Melenchon, the leading figure in ⁠the hard-left France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) political party, will stand in next year’s presidential election, he said on Sunday. “Yes, I am a candidate,” Melenchon told TF1 ‌TV. Melenchon, 74, has been a fixture of the French left for decades, holding ministerial posts in past governments when he was a Socialist Party member. He ran for president in 2012, 2017 and 2022, coming third that year behind ⁠far-right leader Marine Le Pen and President... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352293/french-hard-left-politician-melenchon-stand-2027-presidential-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3352293/french-hard-left-politician-melenchon-stand-2027-presidential-election?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 19:38:38 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called on Giorgia Meloni to stop “commenting on what is happening in other people’s countries”, after the Italian prime minister expressed shock at the fatal beating of a far-right activist in France. Quentin Deranque, 23, died from head injuries after being attacked by at least six people last week on the sidelines of a far-right protest at a university in the city of Lyon. Most of the 11 suspects detained are from far-left movements, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344040/macron-tells-meloni-stay-lane-over-remarks-far-right-activists-death-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344040/macron-tells-meloni-stay-lane-over-remarks-far-right-activists-death-france?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:07:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse EU chief Ursula von der Leyen survived two confidence votes Thursday in the European Parliament, touting “strong support” from the assembly despite the tensions laid bare by the challenge. The motions of censure against the European Commission president were brought by the hard left and far-right, which accuse her of a lack of transparency and reject her trade policies. Neither motion secured the minimum 361 out of 720 votes. The challenge brought by the far-right Patriots won support from 179... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3328412/eus-von-der-leyen-survives-2-no-confidence-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3328412/eus-von-der-leyen-survives-2-no-confidence-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:25:08 +0000