The atmosphere is tense a few days before the vote. On Sunday, the RN candidate for the European elections, Jordan Bardella, was scolded by the director general of the gendarmerie himself, Christian Rodriguez, after a publication by the far-right party on the X network, which makes propaganda by targeting the police. “ You seem to be unaware that military status prohibits this type of message. And the least we can expect is for you to respect the gendarme and his status, in these periods when his commitment can lead him to the worst consequences. This message is unacceptable,” scolded the gendarme, addressing the candidate directly.
In response, Jordan Bardella returned the ball, putting the personal choices of the gendarmes on the table: “ They are not sub-citizens: they vote, a lot for the RN, which seems to upset you », he wrote very calmly. Enough to visibly make the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, jump, who entered into the controversy this Monday morning. “ If you had a little awareness of the State and its officials, you would not behave like this, like an insulting politician. What have you done in your life to disrespect a man who spent 30 years serving his country and risking his life with his military? To love France is to love its servants. You just use it. You are far right “, he decided.
Invited on - this Monday, June 3, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said in turn he was shocked by the response of candidate Jordan Bardella to the director general of the gendarmerie. “ He is contemptuous, he addresses himself with a condescending tone and lectures the director of the national gendarmerie! There is a law which says that political parties must not use the logo, the image of the gendarmerie, the police, the military and it seems healthy to me that they are not exploited » he added to the debate.
“We weren’t born!” »
“ Jordan Bardella’s response, finally sorry… General Rodriguez, director of the national gendarmerie, dedicated his life to the protection of the French, particularly in the mobile gendarmerie. He started in the mobile gendarmerie, Jordan Bardella and I were not born! And he’s there teaching her a lesson! He who constantly says that we must respect authority, respect those who protect us. »
Requested by AFP, the National Rally considered that the publication was “ completely legal “, the image does not show “ the face of a policeman. » According to the government website Service Public, “ the duty of reserve refers to the obligation imposed on all public officials to demonstrate reserve and restraint in the written and oral expression of their personal opinions”, “during and outside working time “. The Defense Code also provides that “ opinions or beliefs, particularly philosophical, religious or political, are free. However, they can only be expressed outside of service and with the reserve required by the military state. This rule applies to all means of expression. »
