Neither Right, Nor Left, But French? Historical Legacies, the Rise of Anti-Immigrant Sentiment, and the Far Right in France

Although the Front National began as an outlier on the French political system’s fringes because of its authoritarian tendencies and xenophobic positions, it is today considered a key political actor with an extremely influential agenda. With consistent electoral returns of about 15% of the vote from the period of 1988-2002 the party has secured what appears to be a stable presence in French politics. My thesis will identify the factors driving the popular success of this radically right wing party. First, the Front has been able to unite various national right wing movements from France’s past. Secondly, I will argue that the Front National’s success is based on Le Pen’s ability to identify a niche in the French political landscape. The driving factors behind filling this niche have been the FN’s protest appeal and its anti-immigrant stances.