Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published November 8, 2026
France’s National Rally (RN), led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, has pledged to pursue the classification of Antifa groups and other far-left organizations as terrorist organizations if the party gains power following the country’s next presidential election.
Bardella, president of the National Rally, announced the proposal during a November 8, 2026, appearance on French television network CNews. He said that a government led by the party would ask the European Union to include Antifa groups and other far-left organizations on its list of terrorist organizations.
Bardella has accused radical left-wing groups of contributing to political violence and public disorder in France. He also alleged that some Antifa-affiliated activists operate as an organized force supporting the political movement associated with Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his La France Insoumise (LFI) party.
The National Rally leader argued that the proposed classification would help authorities address violent political activism and protect the right of citizens to participate in peaceful demonstrations.
The proposal follows a series of violent incidents surrounding demonstrations in France. On October 17, 2026, protests were accompanied by looting, vandalism and clashes. The incidents prompted renewed political debate over public security, protest management and the activities of radical groups.
Bardella had previously called for Antifa groups, black bloc activists and other organizations associated with the ultra-left to be placed on the European Union’s terrorist list. During an October 19 press conference, he also advocated restrictions on individuals identified by security services as potential threats participating in public demonstrations.
However, Antifa does not operate as a single centralized organization with a unified leadership structure. The term generally describes a range of antifascist movements and activists whose activities vary, including political organizing, demonstrations and, in some cases, physical confrontations with far-right groups.
The distinction is relevant to the proposed classification because identifying and designating specific organizations would require authorities to establish which groups and activities meet the applicable legal criteria.
The proposal also raises questions about the distinction between political activism, violent criminal activity and terrorism under French and European law. France already has counterterrorism legislation and administrative security measures that allow authorities to address certain threats, although their application to political activists has generated legal and civil liberties concerns.
The National Rally has positioned public security and opposition to political violence as central elements of its political platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Marine Le Pen has presented herself as a candidate focused on restoring public order, while Bardella has been identified as her preferred choice for prime minister should she win the presidency.
As of November 8, 2026, the proposed designation remains a political commitment rather than an enacted policy. Any move to place organizations on the European Union’s terrorist list would require the relevant European legal and institutional procedures.
