What is the Le Pen phenomenon?

Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded the far-right National Front party in 1972, has participated in four French presidential elections since his first participation in the French presidential election in 1974: 1974, 1988, 1995 and 2002 In 2016, its vote share increased from the initial 0.74%, 14%, and 15% to 18.14%. Le Pen, 73, elaborated on his political views in a campaign platform titled "For the Future of France." [1] He advocates an agricultural policy that prioritizes French agricultural products, advocates giving priority to providing employment opportunities for French people, giving priority to families, deporting all illegal immigrants, ending clericalism (including the abolition of inheritance taxes, reducing taxes on small businesses, etc.), and implementing new Trade protectionism, depoliticization of education and textbooks, advocating the separation of social security for French and foreigners, rebuilding the army, rejecting the "New World Order" proposed by the Americans, retaining French sovereignty over overseas territories, returning to the Franks, etc. . Its core proposition is to combat crime and illegal immigration. Le Pen declared, "I am left on social issues, right on economic issues, and first of all, I am a patriot." [2]

Polls show that in this term of office, During the election, support for Le Pen mainly came from two different classes:[3] First, the petty bourgeoisie in the backward regions of eastern and southeastern France. These regions have a long-standing tradition of right-wing populism, which can be traced back to the 20th century. During the Brzed Movement in the 1950s. Another major source is older, blue-collar workers in the North and Northeast. About a quarter (26%) of manual laborers, workers and voters with a monthly income of less than 1,500 euros voted for Le Pen. In addition, Le Pen also received the support of 32% of small businessmen and craftsmen. Voters below the middle class who are constrained by social problems also supported Le Pen. An analysis of the votes Le Pen received showed that he received the support of 20% of men and 14% of women. His largest group of supporters are the unemployed (38%), and blue-collar workers at 26%. [4]

One month before this presidential election, some people predicted that Le Pen might not be able to become a presidential candidate for the first time since 1981. The reason was that it was difficult for him to obtain the signatures of 500 MPs from 30 provinces and overseas territories. Recent polls ahead of the first round had put Le Pen in third or fourth place, with estimates predicting he might get 10 to 15 percent of the vote. [5] But everything was unexpected. Le Pen became a dark horse in this French presidential election, not only defeating the Socialist candidate Jospin, but also ultimately paving the way for the successful election of the right-wing candidate Chirac.

The emergence of the "Le Pen phenomenon" is by no means a historical accident. From an international perspective, in an increasingly globalized world, "turbocapitalism" has the potential to destroy local cultures that have taken centuries to build in just a few days. [6] This phenomenon reflects people’s fear of immigration problems brought about by globalization and European integration. From the perspective of domestic factors, the low turnout, large number of candidates, and high abstentions (about 28%) in this presidential election reflect the diversity and fragmentation of French society and reveal the French voters’ disapproval of the two major The inability of the mainstream parties to deal with issues such as crime, unemployment and immigration and dissatisfaction with the increasingly convergent policy platforms of the two major parties.

Although there are still some differences between the presidential candidates Chirac and Jospin of the two major mainstream parties. For example, Jospin tried to please by providing additional training, cutting taxes on the lowest-income groups, etc. the working class, while Chirac pleased the capitalists by cutting income taxes. However, the two men from opposite ends of the political spectrum put forward strikingly similar campaign platforms: [7] Both promised to build a safer, wealthier, and more competitive France. Jospin denied that his campaign was related to socialism, while Chirac emphasized non-conservative values ??such as solidarity and environmental protection. They both vowed to create a super agency to fight France's rising crime rate, and both promised to improve environmental conditions, curb the negative effects of globalization, lower taxes, further reduce unemployment, etc.

Chirac and Jospin have become the Tweedeldem and Tweedeldy of French politics, with 70% of French voters unable to tell the difference between their political platforms. [8] Neither Chirac nor Jospin were able to provide the French with real options anymore. [9] The campaign platform they proposed was indistinguishable, vague, and uninspiring, and the campaign they created was lukewarm and lifeless. [10] In the end, both of them had to focus on the issue of fighting crime during the campaign, and were actually played by Le Pen without applause. [11]

The convergence of the candidate platforms of the two major mainstream parties has led to dissatisfaction and apathy among voters. A poll before the election has clearly illustrated this: [12] Most voters seem to be dissatisfied with this election. I don't care much about the election. Only 11% of voters are particularly interested in the election, and 27% hold "moderate interest." When voters were asked what prompted them to vote for Le Pen, 73% said "law and order", 30% said immigration, and 16% said taxes, pensions and unemployment. One-third of all those surveyed said it was to express dissatisfaction with the current president and prime minister.

Like voters in other Western European countries, the French feel ignored and abandoned by the political elite and are increasingly alienated from them. French voters are not dissatisfied with France's democratic politics, but are dissatisfied with the themes, performances and behaviors proposed by political leaders. ... They did not say what people wanted to say and did not share people's worries." [13] "Awakening "The French have no choice but to play with the "third way" [14] - choose Le Pen.

Far-right parties have successfully exploited the dissatisfaction and apathy of the electorate, "turning them on to social ills - chiefly mass unemployment, social exclusion, rising crime rates and the continued influx of foreigners —— combined with a simple and clear way of identifying the enemy, declaring that foreigners and a political class generally branded as corrupt and incompetent were the root of all evil.” The resulting simple confrontation strategy is : Deport foreign immigrants to their countries of birth and replace political elites in leadership positions with the far right. The far-right parties "rely on this political prescription, in the current social crisis and due to the weakness of the Social Democrats in promoting their own alternatives, after all to be able to win over a fifth of voters who are disillusioned with parliamentary party politics".

: The "Le Pen phenomenon" is not only one of the results of the decline of the French left, but also a sign of the further decline of the European left, including the French Socialist Party. The resurgence of the right wing, including the far right, across Europe has put social democratic parties and the social democracy they believe in facing a crisis.