https://arab.news/956wf
French voters made their voices heard in the mid-March municipal elections, whose insights into the trajectory of the far-right National Rally party, led by Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella, were closely followed.
The party first rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the National Front, led by its founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine’s father. Its rise in the decades since has been striking, as it evolved from an anti-immigrant, populist opposition movement into a genuine “party of power” that boasts more than 100,000 members and nationwide support.
The party’s transformation into a force to be reckoned with is not only reflected in its consolidation in parliament and local councils, but also its success in reaching the decisive second round of presidential elections three times (in 2002, 2017 and 2022).
While the numbers suggest that the far right at least secured its place in the second round, there is another important element to consider: in all three instances, traditional right and left-wing parties (along with centrists, environmentalists and others) formed tactical electoral alliances with the sole aim of preventing the far-right candidate from reaching the Elysee: Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2002 and Marine Le Pen in 2017 and 2022.
