In the European Parliament elections, Marine Le Pen's right-wing populist party, the Parti National Suméling, clearly became the largest party in France.
The election results show that the French are abandoning the ruling parties and turning to extremism. What is happening in Europe's political superpower?
There is something rotten in the state of France
The most visited country in the world prides itself on its high-speed trains, high productivity and first-class engineers. Meanwhile the economy is good.
In the years since 2018, France's GDP has grown twice as much as in neighboring Germany, and much more than in countries such as Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
Once upon a time there was a dividing line between traditional Catholicism and communists.
Meanwhile, France is clearly suffering. A clear majority of French people believe that the country's politicians are corrupt. When asked if they thought their family would be in a better financial situation in five years, only twelve percent of French people said yes. Only Japan ranks lower.
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The French leave the ruling parties and go to extremism
The trend is clear: the French are turning to extremist parties.
In the presidential elections scheduled for 2022, the first round of voting showed that most French people did not support current President Macron. Most people voted for a handful of candidates from extremist, radical or populist parties.
Together, these extremist parties obtained 56% of the votes. In other words, a clear majority of the French people voted for parties well positioned on the outer wings of politics.
The picture was repeated in the European Parliament elections in 2024.
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France is experiencing polarization
France has undergone great changes over the past few decades. The country that was once a nation with a common culture and identity is now a patchwork of islands that do not know or care about each other.
Once upon a time, it was the dividing line between traditional Catholicism and communists.
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The dividing line that emerged in the twentieth century along with secularization, immigration, globalization and individualism has disappeared.
New trends have led to the disintegration of the national community and the flourishing of new identities and affiliations based on religion, race, region, class, lifestyle, or political orientation.
What does it mean that more and more French people live parallel lives?
Professional literature suggests that less interaction creates different norms and values. This means that different groups have different views about appropriate behaviour. This, in turn, means a loss of cooperation and trust.
When trust in other groups declines, people retreat to their own group. It is known that people thrive best with people who have a lot in common with them.
One of the clearest signs that France faces challenges can be found in Edelman's annual confidence barometer.
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When asked whether the French felt that the country had become more divided than before, 70% answered in the affirmative. Here, France is at the top of the world.
Are the French extremists?
When France 24 asked the French in the spring of 2023 who they preferred among current President Emmanuel Macron and the leader of the far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, the poll showed a clear majority for Le Pen.
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If French presidential elections were held today, Le Pen would have received 55% of the votes, compared to 45% for Macron.
Does this mean that the French have suddenly become full-fledged and half-fascists?
no. One important reason why more French people are moving towards the far right is that they are fed up.
The French today are uncertain about the future of their country and their own. They have no confidence that their government will make their lives better. In key areas such as purchasing power, crime and immigration, many feel that traditional parties do not listen to ordinary people.
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We are talking about ordinary people who have lost confidence that the rulers of Paris are in control.
The trust that the French place in their leaders is in free fall. This is why more and more ordinary Frenchmen are leaving the ruling parties and turning to extremism.
Slowly, but surely, the social glue is crumbling.
(Voices is the discussion section of ABC Nyheter. Here regular and occasional contributors write about news-related topics. We also have a collaboration with the online political newspaper Altinget.no . If you are burning with an opinion or analysis, you can send the text to [email protected], and we will consider it).
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