Far-right leader Bardella backpedals on taking France out of NATO strategic military command

By NICOLAS GARRIGA and ELISE MORTON
Associated Press

VILLEPINTE, France (AP) — The far-right leader angling to become France’s prime minister after the country’s upcoming parliamentary election has backtracked on the party’s previous promise to pull out of NATO’s strategic military command. National Rally President Jordan Bardella said Wednesday that “France mustn’t leave NATO’s military command while we are at war.” He was referring to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Bardella was speaking at the Eurosatory arms show outside Paris. The comments pulled back from a campaign promise made by his party in its manifesto for the 2022 French presidential election. But Bardella said e is firmly against sending troops to Ukraine and escalating tensions with Russia.