At almost every French election, it’s the same old story: the far right makes significant gains. Under longtime leader Marine Le Pen, the party carried out a “de-demonisation” operation: changing its name from National Front to National Rally and softening its message while recruiting new faces. It has continued its journey into mainstream politics by joining the new “union of the right” with Eric Ciotti, former president of the conservative Les Républicains party. Our reporters went to meet National Rally supporters and their current leader, Jordan Bardella.
Following this summer’s snap elections, the National Rally has 125 MPs in the National Assembly, compared to just eight back in 2017. This enables the far right to play the role of kingmaker, with the power to bring down the fragile government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier if Marine Le Pen chooses to back the left’s motion of no confidence. The National Rally is openly making this threat and stands ready to topple any government whose budget reduces the purchasing power of the French people.
Our reporters Clovis Casali and Gaëlle Fonseca went to meet longtime National Rally members, as well as those who have left the mainstream right-wing Les Républicains party to form an alliance with Le Pen’s movement. They travelled to the Alpes-Maritimes and the Creuse departments, two very different parts of France, where National Rally supporters all want the same thing: a change in policy and – in the case of farmers – the desire to make a decent living from their work.
Our team was also able to meet the president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, who is confident that he, Le Pen and their cohorts will soon be in power.
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