A few weeks before the European elections, the right-wing party Rassemblement National (RN) is far ahead in the polls in France. Around 30 percent of those surveyed said they supported Marine Le Pen’s party. The ruling Renaissance party’s list is far behind at 16 percent. Why is the Rassemblement National growing so much in France? Aquilino Morelle, the former advisor to President François Hollande, examined this question in a book (“La parabole des aveugles”).
SRF News: Why do you think the Rassemblement National has grown so much in recent years?
Aquilino Morelle: The increase is due to the fact that over time the party has addressed many issues that the traditional parties have abandoned. First, Jean-Marie Le Pen was about identity and immigration.
I warn against further demonizing the party, as the government has done for 40 years.
Then, with his daughter Marine Le Pen, he expanded to include social issues: unemployment, poverty, deindustrialization, the loss of public services and finally republican concerns such as secularism were added. Marine Le Pen has been able to demonize the Rassemblement National in recent years.
You talk about a de-demonization of the party. Is this just a strategy or do you believe in a real change in mindset?
Apart from Marine Le Pen, no one can know whether it is just a strategy or actually a belief. But even if it is just a strategy: I warn against further demonizing the party, as the government has done for 40 years. The only message from the traditional government parties to the citizens is that it is wrong to vote for the FN (Front National) and now the RN.
The RN is a party that unites voters from all walks of life who are very dissatisfied with their lives.
But Marine Le Pen’s over 13 million voters in May 2022 are not fascists. They are not stupid, evil, or intellectually limited. They face social, labor market or industrial difficulties, perhaps have concerns about immigration or are worried about France’s future in a federal Europe. The RN is no longer an extremist group, but a party that unites voters from all working groups and social classes who are very dissatisfied with their lives.
The party’s growth continues.
What can the government do to counteract the upswing?
One senses that not much is being done to counteract this – and so the party’s upswing continues – unless the old parties recognize the seriousness of the situation and change radically. They must change their relationship with voters and citizens and stop viewing them as bad or stupid. They must address their concerns and address issues such as the poverty crisis, deindustrialization, migration or the dilution of France in a federal Europe. Perhaps this could stop the RN’s upward trend.
Mirjam Mathis conducted the interview.