“Le Pen rode a six-lane highway”… Far-right anti-interest in violence in France

(London = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = As political chaos grows due to violence in France, speculation continues that Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Coalition (RN), a leading candidate in next year's presidential election, will benefit.

Previously, protests following the Yellow Vest movement in 2018 and the death of a 17-year-old Algerian youth in 2023 escalated into violence, causing chaos, but this incident is taking place half a year before President Emmanuel Macron's retirement and the presidential election, and political tensions are even higher.

Reuters reported on the 19th (local time) that the explosion of public dissatisfaction with the hardships of living, such as the long-term lack of investment in education and high prices, and the increased damage from violence due to the authorities' failure to respond, are expected to encourage President Macron's 'lame duck' and work to the advantage of the far right.

Former lawmaker Jean-Baptiste Moreau, who was close to President Macron, said, "Le Pen does not have to spend a penny on the election campaign anymore," and added, "It's not like she paved the road, she just gave her a six-lane highway."

A recent opinion poll showed that Le Pen is likely to win the election no matter which presidential candidate she runs against, which adds to the positive news.

According to the results of the Cluster 17 opinion poll conducted before last weekend's protests and announced on the 19th, Le Pen was expected to rise to first place in the runoff with at least 31% of the vote in the first round of voting in April next year. Next is Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the far-left France Unbowed (LFI), and centrist Edouard Philippe are tied at 20%.

On the 18th, President Macron failed to come up with any practical measures in his speech and only appealed for restraint, causing criticism and disappointment both inside and outside the party. However, a few hours earlier, Le Pen uploaded a separate video of his speech to the nation, condemning acts of violence and vowing to restore law and order.

“I condemn the rioters who are exploiting this anger to sow chaos in French cities,” Le Pen said. “In six months, the French people can choose a different path: the restoration of authority and security.”

The New York Times (NYT), an American daily, said that Le Pen seemed to be painting the image of a 'president-elect' as she gave a speech with her hands firmly clasped against the backdrop of the French flag, adding, "This was a day of political opportunity for the RN, which has presented itself as a party that expels illegal immigrants and protects law and order."

The RN is attacking both the Macron government and the extreme left over this incident, and is claiming to be the only 'strong' party that will protect France. The argument is that the government is incompetent and cannot guarantee public security, and the extreme left promotes violence and chaos.

On the 18th, RN leader Jordan Bardella appeared in front of a police station in downtown Paris to pledge support for police officers and told reporters, "For decades, we have fallen back on crime, our authority has been weak, and our internal security has been morally, psychologically and practically disarmed. We are paying the price now."

The NYT pointed out that RN's approach to violence is the same as the strategy that far-right forces across Europe have been using. Following the incident in which migrants invaded the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta in North Africa last July, Spain's far-right Vox party took similar steps by making border security a new election issue.

The racial and cultural backgrounds of those who led this violence are largely unknown, but on the other side of the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump is supporting the anti-immigrant far-right party RN, claiming that the incident was committed by immigrants.

Vincent Martini, professor of political science at the University of Nice, pointed out that this violence fits well with the RN's strategy of dividing France into 'urban areas filled with student protesters and rioters' and 'quiet rural good France'.

Professor Martini analyzed, "RN's (supporting) voter base is neither in the city nor in the suburbs, but in this other France (rural area), so they want to confront the two Frances." He added that how this situation will affect the RN in the long term will depend on how long the protests last.