contents
The right fringe has so far belonged to Marine Le Pen and her party. Now the right-wing extremist publicist is competing with her.
Eric Zemmour’s advertising has so far been particularly successful with the Rassemblement National delegation in the European Parliament. In mid-January, the faction leader of the Rassemblement National delegation gave notice to Marine Le Pen. Zemmour immediately appointed him vice president and spokesman for his new party, La Reconquete.
Then the prominent MEP and star lawyer Gilbert Collard switched to Zemmour and was enthusiastically celebrated by his supporters at an election event in Cannes: He wanted to support Zemmour because he spoke politically plain language and did not avoid sensitive issues like other politicians. “It gives me new hope,” said Collard.
Legend:
Collard (pictured) was one of France’s most prominent criminal defense lawyers. He then entered politics at Marine Le Pen’s side and was long considered a close confidante – who supported Le Pen’s efforts to rid the Front National of its far-right stable odor.
key stone
Now Collard is doing a backwards somersault: When he praises Zemmour for political plain language, this is also a criticism of his former political companion Le Pen – without naming her.
Le Pen reacted immediately at her traditional press conference at the beginning of the year: The Rassemblement National had definitely broken with the provocative political style that was once the trademark of the predecessor party Front National.
Provocations that she now describes as evidence of political immaturity. This is both a dig at political competitor Zemmour, who rarely fails to provoke, and a call to order within his own party. Because Le Pen probably knows very well that many of her supporters miss this rough political style.
Legend:
Marine Le Pen wants to give her party a friendlier look. Zemmour, on the other hand, hardly misses a provocation.
key stone
Within the Le Pen party, there are apparently also growing doubts that the boss could win a runoff election against President Macron. Apparently, these even exist in the inner circle of leaders of the Rassemblement National. Le Pen sent a clear message to these doubters earlier this week: If you want to go, go – but now. So close to the election, she no longer wants to surround herself with people who would only feign their support. She also owes this to her base and the voters.
exodus of the chilled
The fact that Le Pen is losing part of its own base has a lot to do with the structure of the Rassemblement National, says Sylvain Crépon, a political scientist at the University of Tours. The people who have now dropped out or are considered unsafe helpers have previously been sidelined within the party and are therefore frustrated. Only those who are completely loyal to the President can make a career in the Rassemblement National.
Legend:
A bitter fight is emerging between Zemmour and his opponent on the right edge. Not just about political positions and votes. It is also about the political personnel.
key stone
Political scientist Crépon has been observing the Le Pen party for years: Until now, Marine Le Pen has been unrivaled on the French political scene as an anti-system politician. Now Zemmour is fighting for the role. Because there are hardly any differences in the content of their identitarian-nationalist politics.
Zemmour fishes in the same tank
Le Pen is therefore faced with a double problem: Your own party cadres now see an alternative in Eric Zemmour. This weakens Le Pen’s control of the party. In addition, Zemmour also attracts the same voters, says Crépon.
According to polls, Le Pen is currently still ahead of Zemmour – but this is not the most important factor. The new competition in the right-wing extremist spectrum could cost Le Pen so many votes that this time she could only end up in third place in the first ballot and thus miss out on the runoff.