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Authoritarianism and Democracy

France: A Case Study of the Global Rise of the Alt-Right

Page 17

in the years since this crash. In the elections of 2008 and 2009, the RA was able to manipulate that crisis to their benefit, winning 24% of the vote.9 Since then, their power has continued to grow. In 2017, Marine Le Pen won 33% of Andrew Jacoby, ’24 the presidential vote in the final runoff election, the highest Globally, the far-right nationalist percentage RA had achieved up to that point. However, that movement has experienced a record was beaten most recently in the 2022 election, where massive uptick in populist support Marine Le Pen won 41% of the vote.10 The comparison and, as a result, political power. between the 2017 and 2022 election maps is striking: in Nationalistic, far-right movements 2017, Le Pen only won 2 districts in the French election, have grown from a relatively but this year, she won 25 districts. That secures her party a insignificant part of the political strong position for the parliamentary election in June, which 1 spectrum to major powerhouses. would be particularly remarkable as no far-right party has This growth can be directly held a substantial number of seats in the French parliament correlated to economic downturns and since World War II.11 accompanying periods These developments in a country of social unrest. France is a perfect Current conditions in France that traditionally has been incredibly case study, as economic and social are particularly conducive liberal, beg a consequential question: instabilities have caused a political shift to the rise of extremist, why did France take a turn to the from a socially progressive democracy, nationalist, and far-right far-right? While this may seem like with nearly universal distrust of fara straightforward question, it is parties. right parties as potentially too akin to significantly more complicated. People the Nazism of World War II, to the slow often turn to political extremes during economic crises.12 embrace of far-right ideologies and parties socially and Current conditions in France are particularly conducive to politically over its past few election cycles.2 the rise of extremist, nationalist, and far-right parties.13 This In France, the leading party representing these alt-right is because France never fully recovered from the 2008 global ideas is the National Rally party (Rassemblement National market crisis. Its GDP never returned to its peak, which was - RA), formerly known as the National Front (le Front right before the 2008 recession.14 France’s economy tanked 3 National - FN). The RA was founded in 1972 by Jean-Marie once again during the pandemic, and has not adequately Le Pen, French politician Marine Le Pen’s father.4 Initially, it recovered from this blow either. The French unemployment was not very successful. The RA had no significant election rate is also relatively high, at 7.4%,15 when compared to the results for more than a decade after its founding. However, global average of 6.5%.16 While this rate is down from its as nationalism in France rose in the 1980s, so did the RA’s 2015 rate of 10.4%, today’s high levels of unemployment power.5 Its platform is based on immigration restrictions, still yield political unrest. France is also facing inflation anti-communism, the reduction of governmental power, rates that are quadruple what they were in 2021, at around and the elimination of social services. The xenophobic 4.8%.17 With rising costs, especially in the energy sector, part of its platform became more popularly appealing as many French citizens increasingly feel like they are facing France’s economic woes began to emerge in the mid-2000s. pervasive economic hardships. Research shows that when Both due to the increased popularity of the movement and faced with economic hardships people often turn to the significant election reforms, RA was slowly able to gain extremes.18 seats in the French parliament. The RA’s number of seats Economic hardship can then lead to xenophobia, was still relatively small in its first few decades. However, especially when politicians use immigration as a scapegoat the momentum it had built up in the 1980s continued into for the country’s economic problems.19 Immigrants only the 1990s and early 2000s, reflecting a growing acceptance make up about 9.1% of France’s population. However, of far-right ideology.6 when surveyed, the French public believes, on average, In 2002, Jean-Marie Le Pen became the first RA candidate that immigrants make up approximately 18.1% of their to qualify for the second round of voting in the French population.20 This same survey demonstrated that 38% of 7 presidential election. Unlike the United States where there the French population believes that immigrants from outside are primary elections followed by a final election, in France, of the EU are a problem for France; furthermore, 61% of the all candidates run at the same time, with a second election French population believes that immigration from Muslim to decide between the top two candidates if no candidate countries should be stopped.21 8 achieved over 50% in the initial round of elections. While What makes Le Pen so attractive to some French people the RA making it to the final round of the election showed right now, is her economic policy. During her most recent its increasing power, it also aroused a strong opposition campaign, she used that policy to rebuild her image for movement that temporarily reduced the party’s power. this election cycle and tout her practicality. Historically, However, the 2008 global market crash re-invigorated the however, both Le Pen’s party and her campaigns have party’s success, which has grown exponentially (along with touted her more regressive social beliefs.22 In previous other expressions of alt-right nationalism on a global level)