Explain the reasons for the durability of the Front National

Résumé du document

Even though it is not the biggest extreme-right party in Europe, the French National Front finds a particular resonance internationally, considering its long-lasting influence on the national political field. Often wrongly considered as a simple heir of Poujadism, it can no longer be considered as a marginal movement. Poujadism lasted for only five years whereas the FN will celebrate its 37th birthday in 2009. Besides, its electoral results exceed 10% since 1984 which makes it the third largest French political party today.1 According to Dino Cofrancesco, the FN can be defined as “une droite radicale qui ne se reconnaît pas dans la société ouverte et ses institutions et propose un modèle politique et social différent, selon lui plus conforme à la nature humaine que celui existant”.2 More precisely, it should be called neo-populist more than fascist as sometimes asserted, since fascism implies an action outside the law and the electoral system. The FN cannot be considered without its historical leader Jean-Marie Le Pen who has been in charge of the party since the beginning. The oldest candidate in 2007, he is among the few current politicians who participated at the 4th Republic.

The durability and the increasing success of the FN, bring into question the political and social changes that can have made it so strong in the so-called human rights' country.

Extraits

[...] These favourable circumstances would be of no use without a leader figure that people can rely on. Until now, the FN has been inseparable from his charismatic leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. He has indeed been a major element in the increasing popular fascination for the party. Alternating phases of extremist discourse and of moderation, his strategy has always been anyway to verbally attack his adversaries: political parties or dissident personalities. As his importance in the political field increased, his appearances on the media especially TV and radio has been extended as well. [...]

[...] By feeling against something, they also feel part of a group and that is what makes it attractive: rejet n'est pas qu'idéologique, il est souvent humain et affectif”.[27] The FN has now found its place in the political landscape and their ideas convince an increasing number of minds. Every time a new member of the FN is locally elected, the proximity extends his power of conviction and the loyalty of voters. The durability of the FN is then highly paradoxical: it comes from its flexibility and ability to appropriate the contemporary problems as well as its inflexible ideology. [...]

[...] " in www.iris- france.org/Tribunes-2007-05-01a.php3 Colette Ysmal, Les partis politiques sous la Veme République p.123 Ibid. p.121 In 1978, Maurice Duverger theorizes the ‘quadrille bipolaire', party system made of the RPR and the UDF for the right and the PS and PC for the left, which are supposed to gather more than 90% of the votes. www.iris-france.org/Tribunes-2007-05-01a.php3 Erwan Lecoeur Front National en France : un néo-populisme comme recours à la crise du sens - iep.univ- lille2.fr/lib/tele.php?chemin= . [...]

[...] Second, the fact that the elections happen to be proportional: according to Maurice Duverger (1951), it is more favourable to the progression of small parties than big ones.[7] Associated with the absence of a clear strategy against the far-right, all this contributes to institutionalize the FN and to legitimate its existence on the public scene. The successful challenge of the FN during the early eighties would have been to turn a messy movement in a real party: at the end of 1985 are counted 65000 members coming from the UDF or the RPR, other movements of extreme-right or new ones.[8] In 1988, after Mitterrand was re-elected, the right really split and the party system is threatened. Then Le Pen gets 14,4% of the votes during the 1988 presidential election first ballot. [...]

[...] Explain the reasons for the durability of the Front National Even though it is not the biggest extreme-right party in Europe, the French Front National finds internationally a particular resonance considering its long-lasting influence on the national political field. Often wrongly considered as a simple heir of Poujadism, it can no longer be considered as a marginal movement: Poujadism lasted for only five years whereas the FN will celebrate its 37th birthday in 2009. Besides, its electoral results exceeds 10% since 1984 what makes it the third French political party today.[1] According to Dino Cofrancesco, the FN can be defined as une droite radicale qui ne se reconnaît pas dans la société ouverte et ses institutions et propose un modèle politique et social différent, selon lui plus conforme à la nature humaine que celui existant More precisely, it should be called neo-populist more than fascist as sometimes asserted since fascism implies an action outside the law and the electoral system. [...]