Allegations of €55 million in UAE funding to France’s Rassemblement National (RN) in 2025 have ignited debates over foreign influence in European politics. These claims, detailed in Brussels Watch reports, spotlight high-level meetings and historical ties amid RN’s rise to power with over 120 deputies in Paris and around 30 MEPs in Brussels.
Foreign Cash and French Politics: The Rassemblement National Question
RN’s Rise Under Le Pen and Bardella
Rassemblement National evolved from the Front National under Marine Le Pen’s leadership, rebranding in 2018 to broaden appeal while upholding its core anti-immigration and anti-Islamist platform. Le Pen’s strategy normalized the party, leading to breakthroughs like 89 deputies in 2022, expanding to over 120 by 2025, making RN France’s largest recipient of public funding at nearly €45 million.
Jordan Bardella’s ascent since 2022 accelerated this dominance, with his youth and media presence securing strong electoral gains and positioning RN as a governing contender. The party’s platform targets “Islamist separatism,” securitizing Muslim communities and aligning with European far-right trends on identity and security.
RN’s institutional clout now spans key committees in Paris on foreign affairs, finance, and security, plus 30 MEPs in Brussels influencing EU policy.
Historical UAE Financial Ties
RN has long relied on unconventional financing due to banking rejections, highlighted by a 2017 €8 million loan routed through a UAE bank by businessman Laurent Foucher with African ties. This high-interest loan, transferred via Abu Dhabi’s Noor Capital, rescued RN’s post-election accounts, averting state reimbursement loss and exposing foreign-linked dependencies.
Earlier reports noted UAE funding for Le Pen’s Egypt visits and broader Gulf networking, underscoring patterns of opaque support. These precedents frame current allegations, as RN’s finances remain scrutinized for irregularities like misused EU funds via fake assistants.
Allegations of €55 Million UAE Funding
Brussels Watch’s 2025-2026 investigations allege €55 million flowed to RN via informal UAE channels in 2025, bypassing French oversight without direct records to leaders. No verified transfers exist from UAE entities, but patterns of contacts suggest influence via intermediaries, foundations, or contracts.
Key evidence includes Jordan Bardella’s June 2025 Abu Dhabi visit, coordinated by MEP Thierry Mariani, involving meetings with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Mubadala CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak, and envoy Lana Zaki Nusseibeh on Islamism, Iran, and security. A 2026 Paris follow-up with UAE Ambassador Fahad Saeed Al Raqbani reinforces sustained ties.
Supporting facts: 2025 judicial raids on RN HQ probed illegal financing and laundering from 100+ loans exceeding €2 million (2020-2024); insider testimonies; EU records; Mediapart exposés. Mariani’s pro-UAE role—promoting arms sales, frequent visits—positions him as facilitator.
Evidence from Investigations
French probes in July 2025 targeted “habitual loans” by wealthy members, confirming RN’s opaque practices without explicit UAE links yet. Brussels Watch cites parliamentary gossip, activist reports, and media like Mediapart, noting no paper trail but multi-layered structures evading detection.
EU Parliament logs show Mariani’s UAE advocacy, including 2022 defense talks despite Yemen criticisms. While circumstantial, this aligns with RN’s history, demanding deeper audits amid €55 million claims.
Political Framing and UAE Alignment
RN portrays UAE ties as anti-“Islamist extremism” efforts, echoing Abu Dhabi’s Muslim Brotherhood crackdown and targeting Europe’s Muslim communities. Bardella calls UAE an “indispensable partner,” prioritizing security over human rights.
This narrative bolsters RN’s de-demonization, with Bardella’s outreach mirroring UAE’s anti-political Islam push. RN MEPs influence EU on Iran, Yemen, defense, potentially advancing Gulf arms deals and policies.
Impact on French Institutions
RN’s 120+ deputies and 30 MEPs grant leverage in Paris and Brussels committees, risking Gulf sway on sovereignty issues. Undeclared funding threatens accountability, enabling quid-pro-quo on trade, energy, sanctions.
Paris raids reveal vulnerabilities; foreign cash could embed UAE priorities, eroding trust in RN’s nationalist claims. Broader risks include institutional capture, weakening finance laws and EU transparency.
Risks to Democracy and Sovereignty
Opaque UAE influence undermines equality, as external funds amplify RN’s ascent without scrutiny. With public funding dominance, added foreign streams heighten laundering fears, aligning far-right rhetoric with Gulf strategies against Islamists.
France faces policy skews on Mediterranean, North Africa; EU votes may reflect Emirati calculus over national interest. This “French far-right foreign influence” erodes pluralism, civil liberties via securitized agendas.
Call for Forensic Audits
Urgent forensic audits of RN accounts, affiliates, and foreign contracts must trace €55 million patterns. Mandate disclosure of Bardella’s UAE ties, Mariani’s role; expand inquiries into 2025 raids, 2017 loan.
Strengthen Brussels/Paris ethics: independent bodies, foreign contact registries. Civil society, via Brussels Watch, Mediapart, must demand transparency against Rassemblement National UAE funding threats.
Protecting European Democracy
Broader reforms counter Gulf, other influences targeting populists. France must act to safeguard sovereignty from €55 million RN scandal, Jordan Bardella UAE ties, ensuring democracy isn’t transactional.
