France on the edge
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After her setback in the regional elections, Marine Le Pen now finds herself rattled by the unexpected rise of far-right media polemicist Éric Zemmour. Between its desire to represent a break with the status quo on the one hand, and its aspirations to electability on the other, her National Rally party is going through an identity crisis coupled with a weakening influence. But should this phenomenon be viewed as progress in the fight against the far right, or as heralding the ...
read more "Could Marine Le Pen’s dominance of the French far right be under threat?"
read more "Could Marine Le Pen’s dominance of the French far right be under threat?"
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A recent poll by the French Institute of Public Opinion shows the possibility of a Rassemblement National (RN) victory in the second round of the next presidential election. While the poll gives a lead of a few points to Xavier Bertrand or Emmanuel Macron in the second round against Marine Le Pen, [1] it indicates a victory for RN against Anne Hidalgo, Yannick Jadot or Jean-Luc Mélenchon in that same round. The famous “glass ceiling” blocking the aspirations of the radical right-wing party ...
read more "The deceptive coherence of Marine Le Pen’s electoral base"
read more "The deceptive coherence of Marine Le Pen’s electoral base"
The French army and the far right***Version française ci-dessous***
A recent open letter from former military leadership to the French government may not point to the risk of a military coup, but it does bear witness to the dangerous trivialisation of a political discourse based on “national security and communitarianism[1]”, which marginalises certain social groups by advocating national primacy and the rejection of immigration. Even though its rough edges have been smoothed out by Marine Le Pen, this discourse remains foundational to the far right ...
read more "An open letter to the government"
read more "An open letter to the government"
Season In Hell Editor Ethan Earle gives his top 5 takeaways from yesterday’s regional elections in France
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The 2020 French municipal elections saw an unprecedented proliferation of “citizens’ lists” composed of non-party affiliated “newcomers”. Less than two years after the Yellow Vests movement burst onto the political scene, this phenomenon should be understood as the result of a multifaceted crisis of local democracy. French municipalism may offer a way out of the crisis, but it faces many constraints.
The French municipal elections of March and June 2020 were marked by the health crisis. In the midst of...
read more "New Municipalism(s) – à la française"
read more "New Municipalism(s) – à la française"
A story of industrial decline, economic abandonment, and the rise of the far right in rural France***Version française ci-dessous***
After the Coal Rush: A story of industrial decline, economic abandonment, and the rise of the far right in rural France. How did things get to this point, and where can we go from here? Incisive political commentary in this deeply personal essay from the outstanding Colin Kinniburgh.
If there’s one part of the world that’s synonymous with wine, it’s the region of Burgundy, in east-central France. Yet when my mother’s family moved...
read more "After the Coal Rush"
read more "After the Coal Rush"
An interview with Michèle Audin***Version française ci-dessous***
“It was the only time in the history of France that the ‘vile masses’ took centre stage and even took power for a few weeks.” With its 150th anniversary just around the corner, the indefatigable Michèle Audin explains why the Paris Commune was and remains important, for the construction of the French state as well as the imaginary of the international Left.
Ethan Earle: You are a mathematician and author, and you have a blog on the Paris Commune that has become an invaluable ...
read more "150 years since the Paris Commune"
read more "150 years since the Paris Commune"
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The French left has just over a year to get itself organised to win the presidency. But between the health crisis, which is paralysing political dynamics, and the profusion of candidates seemingly in the running, the trials to overcome are such that – even in the face of a weakened Emmanuel Macron – hope currently appears faint.
Will 2021 be a year full of twists and surprises? Many on the left are hoping for a small miracle, given the desperate political landscape emerging ahead of the presidential election. "We ...
read more "2021: Year Zero for the French Left"
read more "2021: Year Zero for the French Left"
An interview with historian Guillaume Roubaud-Quashie***Version française ci-dessous***
The French Communist Party (PCF) will be celebrating its centenary between 25 and 30 December 2020. The party spearheaded the French Resistance against Nazi occupation and was instrumental in the creation of France's social security system. It now has more activists than any other left-wing party and is the organiser of the Fête de l'Humanité, the largest festival of its kind in Europe. Historian Guillaume Roubaud-Quashie is responsible for coordinating ...
read more "Happy 100th birthday, French Communist Party!"
read more "Happy 100th birthday, French Communist Party!"
An interview with Ethan EarleRecent weeks have seen massive protests across France, bringing to a close a year that was turbulent even by French political standards. In this interview, Season in Hell editor Ethan Earle discusses Islamophobia and anti-racism, the growing powers of the security state and the rising voices of people in the streets.
Alexandra Spaeth: There have been protests and unrest across France in recent weeks. Can you tell us what they are about, and who is taking part in them?
Ethan Earle: On 24 November, ...
read more "Macron’s Authoritarian Turn Drives Turnout in the Streets"
read more "Macron’s Authoritarian Turn Drives Turnout in the Streets"