Why Farage and Bardella’s anti-immigration alliance won’t be smooth sailing

Key Points:

• France’s Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally, is set to support Nigel Farage’s controversial proposal to have the UK Royal Navy repel migrants crossing the channel and return them to France, signaling a joint stance on immigration policy.
• Internal opposition exists within the National Rally regarding Farage’s plan, with concerns about the need for a treaty between France and the UK and the burden of repatriating migrants, especially in regions like Calais that see high migrant arrivals.
• Bardella’s endorsement is partly strategic, aiming to boost his international profile and support Marine Le Pen’s presidential campaign, while Farage seeks a political win on immigration amid recent challenges.
• Despite their differences in style and age, Bardella and Farage share goals of professionalizing their parties and reducing immigration, with ongoing efforts to formalize cooperation between the National Rally and Farage’s Reform UK party.
• Bardella’s upcoming speech in Birmingham, delivered in English, is intended to align with Reform UK’s immigration policies and showcase the growing international populist movement seeking to reshape politics across countries.