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Far-Right Leaders Rally in Rural France as National Rally Marks “Victory Day”
Thousands of supporters of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) gathered Monday in the tiny village of Mormant-sur-Vernisson to mark the anniversary of the party’s record-setting performance in last year’s European elections. The event, dubbed “Victory Day,” also served as a show of unity among European far-right leaders.
Set against a festive backdrop of food trucks and music, more than 5,000 attendees converged on the village of just 130 residents in the Loiret region. The celebration marked one year since the RN, led by Jordan Bardella, won 31.37% of the vote in the June 2024 European elections—a historic high for the party.
Despite its European success, the RN fell short of a parliamentary majority in the subsequent French legislative elections. The party secured 120 of 577 seats in the National Assembly, becoming the largest group but unable to claim the premiership. The left-wing New Popular Front coalition prevented RN from capitalizing fully on its European momentum.
Monday’s rally also served as a platform to strengthen ties within the “Patriots for Europe” group, a far-right bloc in the European Parliament comprising 85 members. Several high-profile European far-right figures were in attendance, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.
Orbán, known for his anti-EU rhetoric and controversial domestic policies, called for resisting Brussels’ influence, saying EU leaders sought “submission and decline” through immigration, debt sharing, and military involvement. Italy’s Salvini, Spain’s Vox leader Santiago Abascal, and representatives from far-right parties in Greece, Czech Republic, Poland, and Belgium also joined the gathering.
Counter-protesters marched in nearby Montargis, where Socialist, Communist, and France Unbowed lawmakers, along with union leaders, voiced concern over the growing influence of the far-right in European politics.
The rally was also a symbolic show of solidarity between Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. Le Pen is currently facing a five-year ineligibility sentence over a corruption case involving European Parliament staff. She has appealed the ruling, calling it a political attack aimed at preventing her 2027 presidential bid.
Bardella, long considered Le Pen’s political heir, publicly defended her and denounced the ruling as “a democratic scandal.” Recent polling has positioned Bardella as a serious contender for the presidency should Le Pen be barred from running. According to Ifop, Bardella would receive 34% of the vote in a hypothetical matchup against former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe—just two points behind Le Pen’s projected performance.
As the 2027 race begins to take shape, Monday’s rally highlighted the RN’s determination to remain a dominant force in French and European politics despite legal and electoral setbacks.
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Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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