France’s far right flourishes at intersection of racial antipathy, economic decline

The far-right National Rally (RN) party in France is experiencing a surge in popularity, with its leader Marine Le Pen leading opinion polls for the upcoming presidential election. This rise is significantly fueled by voters experiencing economic difficulties who increasingly link their struggles to immigrants, viewing them as a financial burden.

Félicien Faury, a research fellow at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, explains that the RN's support base is largely composed of working-class individuals and those in precarious economic situations. Many of these voters reside in areas heavily impacted by deindustrialization and job offshoring. The lower middle class, anxious about escalating living and housing costs, also forms a substantial part of the RN's electorate. Consequently, French citizens angered by their declining purchasing power are turning away from traditional political parties.

Faury highlights that xenophobia, with historical roots tracing back to the colonial era, has created an environment conducive to the far-right's growth. The legacy of the Algerian War of Independence, during which some French nationalist factions advocated for extreme measures against Algerian Arabs, has contributed to lingering anti-Muslim and white supremacist sentiments. Southeastern France, a stronghold for the RN, was particularly affected by this history and the subsequent return of French settlers from North Africa.

The National Rally effectively capitalizes on voter sentiment by promoting policies that prioritize French nationals. Their platform consistently emphasizes reducing immigration and implementing "national preference" measures, which reserve certain jobs and social benefits exclusively for French citizens. These policies are framed as a means to curb public spending, further appealing to economically anxious voters.

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National Rally voters link their economic difficulties directly to racial resentment, operating on the premise that immigrants ‘cost too much.’