French Elections: What Does 'Far-Right Party' Mean?

The current parliamentary elections in France present the most unprecedented opportunity for the far-right party in the country to seize executive power since World War II. However, such an opportunity did not arise overnight; it is particularly the result of the repeated failures of France's major and centrist parties to fulfill their programs and the decline in the purchasing power of vulnerable segments of society. In this context, the far-right party in France has gradually expanded its social base over several past elections, exhibiting both repulsion and attraction. On one hand, this party has instilled fear and anxiety among various segments and elites of society, especially among the educated, entrepreneurs, and minorities, while on the other hand, it has captivated the general public, particularly in rural areas. This party has also managed to fuel 'fantasies' such as a 'pure society'—one without immigrants—by introducing immigrants as the primary 'national threat.' But what is the historical background of the far-right in France and its ideological roots? Who were its leaders and key figures? What significant events have occurred regarding this party so far? The term 'far-right' was born during the French Revolution. Leaders and supporters of the far-right party have repeatedly protested why the media refers to their party as 'extreme.' Regardless of the fact that the French Constitutional Council, the highest constitutional authority in the country, has officially classified the 'National Rally' party led by Marine Le Pen as an 'extreme' party, historians and political science professors have frequently discussed in French media the reasons for classifying this party as 'extreme.' The most important reason is its programs, which fundamentally contradict the laws of the French Republic and even the slogans of the French Revolution, including the superiority of individuals and access to social rights based on 'race.' Another reason for this designation is that this party believes in the 'decline' of France, Europe, or the West in general, and has particularly raised the theory of the 'great replacement' of immigrants in European countries in recent decades. The title 'far-right' specifically emerged during the events following the French Revolution. In 1792, representatives sat on the right or left benches of the parliament president. This division was based on a disagreement over 'old principles,' with supporters of these principles sitting on the right and opponents on the left. However, the far-right, or 'extreme right,' consisted of nobles and representatives of the clergy, defenders of the monarchy, and defenders of the privileges of the monarchical era. In the 19th century, General Boulangé, one of the first prominent leaders of the French far-right, promised to dismantle the institutions that emerged from the revolution. He believed that the parliamentary system was responsible for the country's dire state and that revenge should be taken for the defeat against Prussia. The Franco-Prussian War in the second half of the 19th century was a conflict between the Second French Empire led by Napoleon III on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia under Chancellor Bismarck on the other. Britain, concerned about Napoleon III's ambitions, especially his military interventions in Mexico, encouraged Prussia to attack France. The outcome of this war was a decisive victory for Prussia, the ousting and exile of Napoleon III, and led to the unification of Germany and the establishment of the Third French Republic. In 1889, after General Boulangé's victory in the French parliamentary elections, he was incited by his supporters to carry out a coup but retreated at the last moment. He was prosecuted for 'conspiracy against internal security, embezzlement of public funds, corruption, and negligence' and fled to Belgium. Two years later, he ended his life with a gunshot to his head at the grave of his mistress. French politician Georges Clemenceau famously remarked upon hearing this news in Paris, 'He died as he lived: as a second lieutenant...' However, with Boulangé's death, the desire for a coup in the French far-right did not dissipate. In February 1934, the failed coup of the 'Nationalist League,' known as the 'far-right league,' left 15 dead and 1,500 injured. At that time, the far-right used a financial scandal as a pretext to end the 'French Republic.' Far-right supporters also used derogatory titles regarding the French Republic. The far-right party in France considers Joan of Arc as its national hero. 19th-century French historian Jules Michelet, by publishing a biography of Joan of Arc, turned her into a national hero for many. However, the image presented of Joan of Arc had two sides, utilized by both the far-right and left parties. On the far-right, Joan of Arc symbolizes the country's resistance against foreign invaders, while on the left, she embodies a poor girl victimized by the church. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the 20th century, Catholics appropriated this historical figure by sanctifying her, leaning more towards the right, while the left rejected her. It was Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine Le Pen's father, who established a tradition during his leadership of the far-right party, whereby every May, far-right leaders gather by the statue of Joan of Arc in Paris or other cities to lay a wreath beside her. The statue of Joan of Arc is located near the Louvre Museum in Paris. Another notable figure of the French far-right is Philippe Pétain, a French military officer who took power in France after the Nazi occupation during World War II. He served as the head of the Vichy government in France from 1940 to 1944 and was tried after World War II and the defeat of the Nazis in France. During his rule, Pétain attempted to create a 'cult of personality' around himself; he replaced the statue of Marianne in the grand halls of the city with a bust of himself, minted coins bearing his image, and shouted the slogan 'Work, Family, Fatherland.' After World War II, in 1952, the 'Union for the Defense of Merchants and Artisans' movement began in a small village in France. The founder of this movement, Pierre Poujade, a skilled orator, claimed that the French Republic was decaying due to rising taxes and 'parasites that have settled in our soil.' This movement achieved significant success during the 1956 parliamentary elections, managing to secure 52 representatives (11.6% of the votes) in the French parliament. One of these representatives was Jean-Marie Le Pen, who later founded the far-right party 'National Front.' However, this party faced serious opposition in France, and even its leaders were targeted for assassination. In 1978, François Dupra died in a car bombing, and his wife, who was with him, was severely injured. Dupra, a staunch nationalist, was a follower of denialist theories (such as Holocaust denial) and was the number two in the National Front. Jean-Marie Le Pen initially accused small far-left groups and then members of the New Forces Party (PFN), which was then a rival of the National Front. However, responsibility for the attack was claimed by an unknown terrorist group, and no clues about the assassins were ever found. Later, Jean-Marie Le Pen was prosecuted and even convicted for his racist and anti-Semitic remarks. However, he managed to reach the second round of the 2002 presidential elections, which was a significant shock for French society. Since then, especially after Marine Le Pen took over the leadership of the far-right party, sensitivities regarding the increasing electoral votes for this party have diminished. Until a few years ago, it was said that voting for the far-right party was merely a negative vote, indicating dissatisfaction with the country's situation. However, this party has now managed to present its policies as an 'acceptable solution' for segments of society. Opposition to women's right to abortion, opposition to birthright citizenship for those born in France, opposition to European Union policies, and opposition to the single European currency have been among the party's positions.