T
he results are as illuminating as worrying. Since 1984, Le Monde has published an annual survey of the public's opinion of the leading French far-right party, the Rassemblement National (RN). Smoothing out the fluctuations of current events, this longstanding poll provides a nuanced understanding of the far right's progress in French political and social life. The latest edition, the results of which were released Sunday, January 11, two days before Marine Le Pen's appeals trial, presents a stark finding: The RN has never been so powerful.
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Far right continues to gain ground in French public opinion
Through a strategy combining provocations and normalization, stigmatizing proposals followed by a deliberate effort at "de-demonization," and through accelerated mainstreaming driven by electoral victories and organized media platforms, the party founded by Jean-Marie Le Pen has moved from the political fringes to an increasingly central role. More than two-thirds of those surveyed believe the RN could come to power, and a growing share are not concerned by that possibility. Only 41% of respondents still see it as a threat. Benefiting from the failures of others, the RN is perceived by a majority as a credible alternative for France, seen as capable of improving reindustrialization, public services, the cost of living, and more.
